Taken || Lego Monkei Kid

Golden Eyes

A tea cup.

It rested on a stone altar, a solitary figure against the darkness. Made of obsidian, it's surface gleamed with an otherworldly sheen. Its golden handle beckoning to be touched. But within the vessel, a black liquid stirred. It seemed to writhe and pulse, as if possessed by some malevolent force.

MK stood before it, eyes wide and feeling his breath catching in his throat. He felt fear, yet couldn't comprehend why. His vision seemed tilted, blurred as he reached for the tea cup, only to have someone else beat him to it.

A second hand snatched the cup just seconds before he could. He tried to argue this action, the cup disappearing into the darkness before he could stop it.

His own voice sounded like a quiet echo, "No! Don't!'"

And then terror.

MK turned, finding himself alone. The Tea cup was empty, the room in silence. He felt he was being torn in two.

You lost him

No...

No!

"NO!" He sat up as he screamed himself awake.

The echoes of his scream reverberated through the room, mingling with the fading tendrils of the nightmare that had gripped him so tightly. MK's heart raced in his chest as he tried to steady his breathing, the sensation of being torn in two still lingering in his mind. The cold sweat that covered his body made him shiver, and he struggled to push away the remnants of the dream that seemed to claw at his consciousness.

As he sat there, trying to ground himself in reality, a faint whisper brushed against his ear.

"MK?" Then, a hand touched his shoulder. All at once, everything was okay. The sea of turmoil faded, replaced with auburn eyes and soft fur. Xiaotian, having been awoken by the scream, was sitting up beside him in the dim morning light of the setting sun. His gaze was steady, offering a small smile when MK looked at him. "Bad dream?" he asked.

MK's tension faded as he leaned into the embrace, feeling his eyes begin to droop. He turned to hug the monkey, who eagerly embraced him in return. "Yeah," he whispered to his other half. "At least... I think it was? It was weird."

Xiaotian patted MK's back, his touch grounding and comforting. "Nothing but a dream," he reassured him in a soothing voice. The monkey's warm presence enveloped MK like a shield against the remnants of fear still lingering in his mind.

MK clung to Xiaotian, grateful for the familiar comfort the monkey offered. As the last tendrils of the nightmare dissipated, he felt his heartbeat gradually returning to its normal rhythm. Drawing strength from their bond, MK finally pulled away and met Xiaotian's gaze with a grateful smile.

"Thank you," MK said softly.

They sat there staring into the eyes of the other, a soft golden light began to filter through the window, casting a warm glow over the room. It blinded the two for a moment, who squinted their eyes to adjust.

It was a new day. A reminder that what had happened the night before was real- they were together. They were here.

Xiaotian was already grinning ear to ear, swaying in small circles as he sat on the ground, "Morning, MK~" he gushed.

"Morning," MK says back. He watched the monkey flip back against the mattress that lay to make their pillow fort. Somersaulting into the center of the room, clearly in a good moon, he chirped.

"What you wanna do today??" he asked eagerly, a wag to his tail. What couldn't they do?? "You got a favorite food place? What do you do for fun around here?" Xiaotian asked, turning to pace the room. He was rifling through MK's stuff the moment he got close. "Ooh nice. Oo-" he threw open the human's closet, diving in. "Can I borrow some clothes??" he was already grabbing some.

"Yeah you can," MK says, turning to his dresser and opening the drawer. He reached for his journal and a stick of black charcoal to quickly sketch a picture inside.

A black obsidian tea cup.

Sometimes it was hard to tell what was dream and what was premonition. He hoped this one was nothing more than a dream. Scribbling away, using broad strokes for the picture, his necklace hit the corners of the paper.

He snatched it to move it aside, pausing when he felt something sharp. He rolled the blood red jewel over, startled when he saw a scratch against it.

"Oh dang-" he mumbled, frowning. Not that he ever paid too much attention to being careful with this thing before, but he had never managed to scratch it before. "Shoot," he scolded himself. He slipped it back into his shirt to keep it safe, shaking his head.

It wasn't a possession he dwelled on, but it was the only thing he had with him when he arrived at the orphanage. It wasn't anything remarkable, and no one seemed interested when he showed it to them. Still, even though it held no real monetary value, he cherished it as the only reminder of his life before the orphanage.

As he put the final touches on the drawing, he glanced up to see Xiaotian trying on three different shirts. "Heh- what are you doing?" he asked.

They were baggy on him, nearly swimming in the material. "What ya think?" Xiaotian struck a pose.

"You look weird," MK snickered.

"Well they are your clothes, so what does that say?" Xiaotian says, giving a twirl. Diving back into the closet he couldn't seem to find anything he was satisfied with. So he just kept his hoodie on. MK could tell there was something else on underneath, considering the pants didn't seem to end at his hips. The purple body suit thing he was wearing the other day, "So what is that thing?" he asked, gesturing to Xiaotian's pants.

"It's a gi," Xiaotian could see MK's stares, lifting the hoodie up a little to show. "I always tend to wear it. Makes training easier. And it's comfy."
"Training?" MK wondered, curious. Xiaotian trained too?

Xiaotian shrugged, "Yeahhh, I was trained by my... well, most of my family," he paused when he realized. "My Baba and Dad were my main teachers though," he shrugged casually, as if bored of the conversation.

"You were trained by your family?" MK echoed, intrigued. "What kind of training did you go through?"

Xiaotian's expression shifted ever so slightly, a flicker of something unreadable crossing his features before he masked it with a nonchalant grin, "Just your usual martial arts training," Xiaotian replied vaguely, as if downplaying the intensity of his daily activities.

"People don't have "usual martial arts training"," MK pointed out.

"Oh, really?" Xiaotian was surprised. "Um... then- I guess it was a little unusual then? Normal for my family." Most of his training was focused on defense and strategic retreats if he was honest. Not that his parents didn't focus on offensive training- it was just preffered Xiaotian wasn't near the fight. To outwit the enemy and use their weaknesses against them. Not a bad way to learn, considering he worked well with this particular type of style.

Continuing to riffle through MK's closet, he paused when he came across a training staff. He pulled it out with wide eyes, drawing a sheepish look from MK. "What is this??"

"Oh, that is-" MK trailed off.

"Ohoho~ MK, do you also train?" Xiaotian gasped, interested. His tail was wagging.

"Not a lot," MK says, wishing he could get more out of it then the rare occasions, "I only train when I can with my- teacher."

Xiaotian locked in on the words. So his other half had a teacher. He gave MK a quick toss of the staff, "You good?" he grinned.

"Define good," MK says, but thoughtlessly flipped the staff between his fingers, settling it behind him in a comfortable stance. Xiaotian eyed him, giving a little smirk.

He had never found an interest in sparring, until now. He was curious how much MK knew. There was a sense of humble confidence that only came from years of experience- showing clear in how MK stood and held the staff.

Xiaotian grasped MK's shoulders, "We should fight," he concluded.

MK sputtered, "What?? No!" he laughed, losing the stance and quickly trying to shut the staff back into the dark of the closet. Xiaotian bodily stepped in the way, arms extended out.

"Aww come on~" Xiaotian's eyes gleamed with mischievous excitement, blocking MK's path to the safety of the closet. His arms swung wildly when MK tried to duck around him.

"I wouldn't want to hurt you," MK pouted.

There was a playful glint in Xiaotian's eyes that hinted at a competitive nature lurking beneath his carefree exterior, "Rude you think you could, but come onnnnn, just a friendly spar," Xiaotian cajoled. He bounced around MK, "Please? Please? Please??"

MK hesitated, torn between his natural inclination to avoid confrontation and the thrill of a potential challenge. He couldn't deny he felt the most comfortable when he could hold something like this. His fingers lingered on the staff, the smooth wood cool against his skin.

"What would you even fight with?" MK asked.

"I got a weapon," Xiaotian assured him.

"Oh?" Interested, MK relented, a tentative smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "Up on the roof then, where we won't break anything." it was early enough they wouldn't have to worry about his Dad and Dadsy being awake.

"Yes!" Xiaotian pumped his fist, startled at his own enthusiasm. Had he ever been eager to train before? Quietly looking at his own hand, not realizing MK had opened the window to the fire escape, he scampered after him. He followed the human up to the roof, where they stood on opposite sides.

MK was doing a few stretches, "Nothing too rough," he says.

Xiaotian bristled, his tone quick to a defensive bite, "I'm not glass," He had enough of those remarks from his parents.

Taken aback, MK paused in his stretching, "Huh? I meant... me?" he pointed to himself. "My parents would freak out if I got bruises." he gave Xiaotian a side eye, "You at least could hide them better with your fur." It was blunt, but honest. MK held no malice when he said this, nor any ill will. He was going to give 100%, and he expected the same from his opponent.

"...Huh..." When Xiaotian gave MK a pleased and touched smile, the human was confused.

"What?" he asked,

Not that one should be happy their opponent intended to give it their all and leave bruises- but knowing they weren't looking at you like some fragile ghost was nice. "Nothing," Xiaotian says, pleased. A flicker of earnest joy flashed in his eyes. "Hope you are ready then," he lifted his hand, a smirk curling at his lips.

MK felt a prickle against the back of his neck as something black formed at Xiaotian's fingertips.

It grew, extending into a form- taking shape into a slick black blade. He grasped the shadowed handle, swinging it down to cut into the air. A second blade formed in his other hand, bending his knees into a defensive stance.

Dual wielding two shadowy blades, he gave a wink, "Ready when you are."

MK on the other hand slammed his staff down, shrieking, "WHAT ARE THOSE?!" he was running over with a squeal of delight, stumbling over his own feet.

The rivalry had exploded into giddy curiosity- which made Xiaotian's tail curl when he felt the emotions swelling from his other half.

Xiaotian was startled, backing up a little and bursting into a fit of giggles when MK made grabby hands at him.

"Wait, wait!" Xiaotian laughed when Mk snagged him in a hug, preventing him from turning to run and bodily bringing him back.

"Let me see! Let me see!" MK insisted like an excitable child with a new toy. "Are those butterfly swords?!"

Xiaotian cackled, squirming out of MK's arms to roll back, "Yes, they are, ya crazy," he snickered, holding them up with the blade pointed towards the human, all to keep him at bay.

It barely managed to do that as MK inched closer and closer, touching the fine tips with his fingers, "Those are so cool, can I hold them?" he asked eagerly.

Xiaotian's tail wagged, feeling MK's joy like it was his own. He was really that amazed by these? His Baba could make far more impressive things with his shadows.

"Sure," he flipped them in his hands to carefully grasp the blades of the sword, holding the handles out from MK to take.

MK took the butterfly swords with reverence, spinning them in his hands in wonder. The weight of the blades, the balance between them- it was perfectly set. Heavy enough to have an impact, but not deter the swing. "These are incredible. And you made these?"

Xiaotian watched, scratching the back of his head, "Yeah, learned it from my Baba. He can make similar weapons," though, despite everything his Baba could make, the guy always preferred his jagged and pointed staff.

MK's eyes sparkled with astonishment as he tested the weight of the butterfly swords again, his movements fluid and precise. "Your Baba must be really skilled," he remarked, a hint of envy in his voice.

Xiaotian nodded, a sense of pride swelling within him. "He is. He taught me everything I know about the shadows," he explained, a fond smile tugging at his lips. "He's amazing."

Realizing this, he covered his mouth with his hand, frowning. It wasn't often that he got to talk about his father in such a positive light anymore.

Xiaotian's countenance changed, and MK couldn't help but notice the sudden seriousness that washed over him. Detecting the shift, MK returned the butterfly swords with a contemplative gaze, "Well now we definitely have to spare, at least once." he nudged Xiaotian a little, drawing a more upbeat expression as he retrieved his discarded training staff.

Xiaotian smiled in quiet appreciation to the topic change, "I agree," he twirled his blades.

"No obvious bruises though." MK reminded. His dads might literally kill them both.

"That is if you can land a hit on me," Xiaotian gave a simpering smile.

Mk snorted, "oohooo- I can get a hit. I'm the best at getting the hits~ The Hit master!" He settled into a defensive stance, staff at the ready, his gaze unwavering on Xiaotian. The early morning light cast long shadows as the two faced off on the quiet rooftop, the distant fog beginning to lift.

MK waited for Xiaotian to strike first, but the monkey simply stood there.

Then, Xiaotian mirrored MK's stance, as if teasing him. His swords became a staff, a shadowy bandana appearing on Xiaotian's head. He made a funny face, which MK gasped to.

"Are you mocking me?" he snickered.

"Are you mocking me??" Xiaotian copied.

"Hey-!" MK lowered his staff. Xiaotian lunged, startling the boy who barely had time to lifted his staff to block Xiaotian's attack. "Cheating!" he gasped.

"You were just distracted," Xiaotian disagreed, his shadowy staff returning to the shape of blades.

The first few exchanges were cautious, both testing each other's defenses and reactions. Xiaotian was impressed by MK's speed and agility, his movements fluid and precise. It was clear that MK had received proper training, even if it was not extensive.

He was positive if MK was just allowed to continue the training more consistently, it wouldn't be hard for him to flourish. Not to say MK was bad as he was-

Xiaotian bent backwards as the staff nearly grazed his forehead at MK's sudden thrust. He rolled to the side, frazzled.

"Nearly got ya there!" MK snickered.

"Nearly, but not quite," Xiaotian quickly clarified. MK was good...

Honestly, his Dad would love a student like MK. They fought kind of similarly to each other. Parallels to his Dad, MK moved the Staff like it was an extension of his own body. It was kept close, like an extra limb, MK's actions creative and- almost joking. Playful even.

"Take this!" MK gave a grin as he lunged.

"..." Xiaotian gave a tilt of his head and smiled- he felt like he was sparing against his Dad.

This seemed to startled MK, who faltered in his strike. Xiaotian lifted his hand, his sword disappearing for a moment as he caught the staff- noting the lack of strength MK had. He was off balanced.

"Getting distracted again," Xiaotian scolded. Leaning back, Xiaotian sprung upward using his tail. He flipped right over MK's head, who gawked up at him.

The monkey gave a grin, the other sword evaporating from his fingers.

"Smack! Smack!" with his open flat palms, he roughly smacked the very top of MK's head twice.

MK stumbled, hand reaching up to hold the spot, "Ow!" he whined. Sensing Xiaotian land behind him, he whipped around with a pout.

Xiaotian did a spin and a bow, "My win~"

MK huffed, "What? How so?"

Xiaotian lifted his head with a smug look, "Because had I used my blade instead of my hand..." he didn't really need to explain after that.

MK puffed his cheeks, lowering his hands. "...Okay fine, but I'm demanding a rematch later."

Xiaotian snickered, his tail flickering behind him. He held up his fingers to form an L over his forehead, "Loser~"

"Oh!" insulted MK chased him around the roof, ducking over and around the potted plants Tang kept up there. Tackling Xiaotian to the ground, he dug his knuckles into the monkey's skull.

"Ow ow ow ow!" Xiaotian kicked and whined. "Cut it out!" He slapped the ground, a pool of black appearing. MK's eyes doubled in size when he felt a sensation of sinking. Stolen right out from under him, Xiaotian disappeared into the sea of ink, leaving MK holding onto thin air.
"WHAT???" he mouthed, stunned. Looking around wildly, he felt a finger tap his shoulder. He turned to see Xiaotian, who gave him a bap to the forehead. MK fell back, wheezing, "What was that?!"

"Heh," Xiaotian smirked, crossing his arms with a sense of self-assurance. However, his confidence faltered as he winced and massaged his aching head, "Geeez, you got some strength," he grumbled, not expecting that brutal attack to his cranium. He hissed when MK grabbed his arm and tried to shake him.

"How did you do that??" the human was demanding answers now.

Like a whining 3 year old Xiaotian huffed, "Stop shaking me~! Okay okay! I'll tell you, I'll tell you!" Xiaotian relented, wincing as MK finally let go of his arm. He dusted off his shoulders with a frown. MK danced back and forth on his feet, waiting with baited breath.

With a mischievous glint in his eye, Xiaotian leaned closer to MK to whisper the great secrets to his technique and abilities. He whispered, "...Genetics."

MK's shoulders slouched, "What?" he was confused.

Xiaotian laughed at his expression, "Haha, my Baba can do this stuff. I got it from him. As for why he can do this stuff..." Xiaotian had to stop and think about it. "...He's weird, I guess?" he shrugged. Of course he knew how he had these powers, but explaining it would take too long and he wasn't patient enough to try.

"Oh."

Xiaotian chuckled, running a hand through his fur thoughtfully. "Training definitely helps refine my skills, but the core of it all comes from my lineage. You can get pretty creative with it with a good imagination." he touched his temple knowingly.

"That's crazy," MK marveled. "So you've always been able to do this stuff?"
Xiaotian nodded, "Pretty much. Can do more too, but I'd exhaust myself if I showed you it all at once," and he didn't have any of his tea on him. He was lucky so far that he hadn't needed any of it. Better to not push it. "Anyway, I'm starving." he patted his stomach.

MK scratched the back of his head, still trying to process the revelation. He watched Xiaotian get up and dust himself off before declaring he was hungry. The monkey began to make his way towards the door leading off the rooftop, leaving MK standing there, a whirlwind of thoughts churning in his mind.

Xiaotian flipped back to the fire escape, waiting for MK to join him. As soon as MK started down the ladder Xiaotian was close behind him.

He was practically glued to MK's back, even looking like he was trying to fully climb onto his shoulders. "Hey hey~ So what should we do today? Wanna go somewhere?" Xiaotian was itching to do something- anything, so long as MK was there.

Neither of the two had ever woken up so energized before. MK's own smile was a testament to the energy he had spinning in his eyes.

Their other half was here now... what could they possibly do to celebrate??

As the two chatted on the possabilities, a knock came from MK's bedroom door.

Pigsy was sticking his head inside, eyeing the two teenagers with a gruff look. They smiled innocently, as if they hadn't just been causing a mess up on the roof. "Just making sure you two didn't run off. Breakfast is ready," Like he could read their minds, he made sure he was quick to drag the two over excited children down the steps to get some proper answers before they tried to disappear into the city for the day.

Last night had been far too messy to really figure out what was going on. So, without delay he was dragging the two into the restaurant stalls, pushing some pancakes infront of them, and smacking down in his own seat. Tang was far more polite as he slid next to him, hands in his lap and notebook in hand. He wasn't going to miss a single minute of this.

"Alright," Pigsy grunted, arms folded, eyeing the two. Their cheeks were puffed as the two dug into their meals. "Now about-"

"Oooh, these are good," Xiaotian tilted his head back with a hefty sigh.

"Best chef," Mk pointed to Pigsy. Xiaotian looked at him with wide eyes and MK bragged about his Dadsy.

Pigsy sputtered a little, a flush to his cheeks, "W-Well uh-" he fumbled, offering a sheepish smile.

Tang leaned in, a knowing look, "He is the best~" Tang agreed, planting a sweet kiss on the Pig's cheeks. Pigsy huffed, but it was clear he was eating it up.

"Y-You two!" He barked, swatting his son to shush his gushing and focus. "Now," he took a deep breath, "I want to know what happend last night. Start from the beginning and leave no detail out."

The two nodded and explained again. Going into detail of most of their life and how they could always seemed to sense the other. Feel the other's emotions, even sometimes their pain and senses.

How it was like they were always there, but... not. The other half of themselves, if that made any sense.

"I wish I could explain what it is but, I have no idea," Xiaotian's tail had wrapped around MK's wrist- a quiet gesture to ensure MK was real and this was no dream.

"Is a connection like that even-" Pigsy couldn't find the right word, "That ain't common, is it?" he asked Tang.

"No, not at all," the man pushed up his glasses. "However, it isn't unheard of. I was even doing some research early this morning. Things like this have been recorded through history, though not many can give a reason as to why. And it's hard to say if those cases are the same as theirs, but they sound similar."

"Well," Pigsy rubbed the back of his head. He didn't really get the answers he wanted but- "As long as you're both alright." That was his biggest concern. All this was strange enough, he didn't want this being something that brought anything bad.

"We're more than alright," the two paused when they spoke in unison, gawking at each other for a moment then cackling, "Jinx! Double Jinx!"

Pigsy and Tang shared a little look, fascinated.

As the two giggled and cackled, Pigsy cleared his throat, his voice more serious now. "Listen, you two. I know this is all new and exciting, but be careful. We don't know what any of this means, so I want you two to just- take it easy, alright?" He didn't need them running off into trouble just because they were hyped up after finding each other.

"Alright, Dadsy," MK nodded obediently. Xiaotian looked ready to say something else, but nodded to follow MK's lead.

"Oh, absolutely sir." he gave a small salute. Pigsy couldn't tell if that was sarcasm or not, but grunted.

"Good."

"Well, you two finish breakfast,"

Tang was the first to rise, grasping Pigsy's collar and pulling him towards the kitchen. Pigsy stumbled along, his feet tripping over each other as he stared in disbelief at his husband.

"What??" he mouthed. Tang held up his finger and wrote into his notebook, confusing Pigsy when he didn't just speak. "Why aren't you saying anything-?" Pigsy was cut off with Tang's finger to his lips.

Silencing his husband, Tang continued to scribble until he lifted up the note book.

"You know how good MK's hearing is sometimes. Anyway, you are thinking what I am thinking, right??"

Pigsy honestly wasn't sure. He knew he had... thoughts, on this matter, but none of them really made sense. So he grabbed the notebook and pen, half listening to MK and Xiaotian eagerly planning out their day.

"Maybe? It's weird, to start. Sometimes you think of far crazier things then me, so you say them first."
Tang read the words then pouted at his husband, responding with, "Rude. But, it's obvious they are connected. That could mean so many things! People don't just share connections like this for no reason. I was looking all this morning-" Pigsy frowned, cause yeah, Tang was up after only sleeping for 2 hours last night, swiping away on his phone and computer. "There are all these strange records on these things. People who can feel the pain of others even miles away. Share in thoughts and emotions at times."

Pigsy gave a little shrug. Okay, so this was just some rare occurence, but Tang kept going. Even when writing the guy wouldn't stop talking till he got all his thoughts out of the way.

"As Mortals we are limited to the realm of the unseen~" Tang was wiggling his fingers in front of Pigsy's face as he read this, "However, demons and celestials tend to have a more profound understanding. Mostly due to them living long enough to find the answers they seek. Being able to live so long can really-" Pigsy flipped the page, seeing that Tang had gotten side tracked.

So he quickly skimmed Tang's gushing to focus on his point.

"What I mean to say is, people have had these connections through different things. Sometimes through the gods themselves. Tasks given for a duo to set out to do together, or a fated pair destined to meet by the gods will. People who wove their destinies together in another life, being reborn to be brought together again. Wouldn't that be amazing? A shared passion from a previous lifetime- woven to be together just the same.

Pigsy snickered to his husbands goo goo eyed look, "Funny, and here I remember you saying something similar when we met." and what a pick up line it was.

"Pigsy." Tang reiterated for the umpteenth time, "love at first sight is a myth. It only becomes a reality if two people have been in love in their past lives as well. So when I was struck with love, that's why I knew we had a strong connection even before we met in this lifetime. It was just a matter of time until we found each other again." Tang squeezed his husband's hand as he reaffirmed his belief once more.

"Oh brother," Pigsy, the love struck fool, rolled his eyes.

Tang gave a little smile behind those rounded glasses, "So many things could be possible." Then he paused, "But, do you know the common factor I found in all the cases I read? Even the abstract ones or the ones just trying to get attention."

"Not sure. What was it?"

Pigsy gave a curious head tilt as Tang wrote, "They were all twins- or even triplets. People born at the exact same time and place. Some not even twins, but realizing they share the same date of birth."

Pigsy lifted his arms up, not understanding what that really changed in this context. "So?" he asked aloud, his mouth quickly covered by Tang's palm.

"Oh shh," Tang whined. Pigsy frowned, removing his hand. "I'm just saying it's a theory. Any of my ideas are," he gathered his notes.

"They look nothing alike," he grumbled. Sure they had matching smiles sometimes but- honestly all kids smiled the same to him.

Tang wrote and circled, "Not all twins do!"

"This is far fetched, even for you." Pigsy says. He snagged the pen, nearly wrestling it out of the whining Tang's hand. "They aren't even the same species??"

Tang waited till Pigsy was done, before snatching back both pen and pad, "Love works in mysterious ways, my skeptical husband!" he pointed to it insistently. "So many wonders happened in the world today. Why must the line be drawn to "same species siblings?? If we had biological kids, we might have both a kid and a human. Or a human with pig ears! Or a pig with a human nose." Tang trailed off, scribbling towards the bottom. "How have I never thought of calling MK our little piglet before? It's super cute."

Pigsy scoffed and rolled his eyes for the hundredth time that day, finding this as unbelievable as Tang insisting he was like the Journey to the West Wu Baije. "Tang, I love ya. But you're crazy," he poked his nose. "piglet is cute, by the way." he added. Not that he could call the kid that- it would be too embarrassing, but Tang calling him that would be good.

Tang snatched his notebook back, scribbling away. Pigsy sighed, reading the next part carefully.

"I mean it~! I mean come on, it could be anything. What if they were separated at birth? Like, when they were born one was taken to the mortal realm. The other kept elsewhere." Tang explained, using his hands to help visualize his point. "They just found each other again!"

When Pigsy gave him a long stare, Tang lowered his head, "...Okay, that one might be a bit crazy," Tang agreed reluctantly. It was pretty out there, he supposed.

Plus... It just wouldn't sit right with them. No matter how that theory was spun, it would leave a bad taste in their mouth. It would either mean their son was taken from his loving home, or that the parents willingly abandoned him but kept the other.

Neither were options they liked.

"I think you just need more sleep," Pigsy closed Tang's notebook to leave the crazy theories for another day. "Anyway, the kids-" when he looked back into the dinning area, he was stunned to see them both gone. His head whipped around to where MK left his rollerblades just to see they were gone too. "The two snuck out while we were talking!" he gasped, stunned. "Their loose!!"

He leapt over the counter, noticing MK's note on the table as a quick "We went out~!! Bye Dad! Bye Dadsy! Wuv youuuu" and snatched it.

"The nerve~" he growled, crumbling it up into a ball.

Tang was giggling behind him. Mostly because, he had seen Xiaotian sneaking his way to the door, MK looking unsure behind him. Only to have no issue with leaving only after he wrote up the quick note.

Then the two messily ran across the restaurant window, leaping and cheering the entire way down the street.

... Well, atleast they were together.

Pigsy huffed, looking ready to storm after them before Tang took him by the arm. "Come now, Pigsy," he soothed, "Let them have their fun. They've been looking for each other for longer than we can fathom." He gave his husband an affectionate squeeze to his arm.

Pigsy's expression softened just a tad, exhaling. It was hard to disagree when Tang looked at him like that, "Well... fine." he agreed. He just didn't want anything bad happening. He couldn't explain why, but he had a bad feeling. As if something was about to change and there was nothing they could do about it.

With a small smile, Tang lead him to the kitchen, "Now, where were we with lunch?" the glutton of a man grinned.

Pigsy snorted, a smile on his face, "Lunch?? We literally just had breakfast??"

"I'm still hungry," Tang pouted, patting his growling stomach.

Pigsy sighed, shaking his head fondly. "You're always hungry," he muttered, but followed him anyway.

As Pigsy adjusted his apron, Tang turned to the kitchen sink to pour himself a glass of water. As he walked by the mirror hanging on the wall, he caught a glimpse of his reflection and stopped in his tracks. He studied himself in the mirror, lightly brushing his cheek with his fingers as he examined his appearance.
He waited for something, anything odd really. To his relief nothing did. No flash of gold, or bizarre headache like the night before.

Remember

The word lingered in his mind. He couldn't shake the feeling that the mysterious image was trying to remind him of something important, but he wasn't sure if it was a positive or negative memory.

He didn't see the point in dwelling on it, so he let out a deep breath. As he filled his cup, he heard Pigsy call out to him.

"Hey Tang?"

"Yeah?" he hummed.

Pigsy sounded contemplative, his voice distant, "...Was it just me, or did MK's eyes seem different today? I thought it just the light but... they looked like gold."

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It was an hour later when Mei met up with her best friend and his new... buddy, is the best she could refer to him as.

She found them both in the park, terrorizing small children as Xiaotian chased them around the playset. He seemed to have never really seen one before, the bright colors fascinating him and drawing him to run and crawl through the structures. Hand in Hand he dragged MK with him, the two roaring like pretend monsters.

"Human babies are just like the babies at home~" Xiaotian giggled, waving goodbye as a few of them left. Despite screaming their heads off, they seemed happy and friendly to Xiaotian at the end.

Mei snickered as she approached, "You two seem to be having fun," she says, hand on her hip. The two turned, MK smiling first.

His eyes lit up with joy when he saw her, and he couldn't resist pulling her into a warm embrace. As they parted, he gestured to the person standing next to him. "And of course, you remember Xiaotian," he said with a fond smile.

"Bob, yeah." Mei gave a nod, getting the chance to look Xiaotian over better now that the sun was out. He was cute, in an MK sort of way. The type of cute that made you want to pinch his cheeks until they were raw.

"Oh hey, didn't really have a chance to talk properly," Xiaotian offered his hand. He was wearing a baggy pair of a hoodie and sweatpants, looking like an overgrown dandelion with his hair all a mess.

Mei shook it, musing, "I'm Mei."

Then Xiaotian bowed, catching the two off guard. It was an uncommon gesture, yet looked so naturally when he did it, "Qi Xiaotian," he says with a smile. When he straightened up, he says. "It isn't Bob."

Mei blinked once then twice, easily able to push pass the strange and overly polite way of greeting. She snickered, "Sorry, just so used to MK referring to you as that. We didn't know your name so I just picked something easy to remember and reference."

"Oh, so that is why," Xiaotian pondered. "Well, I hope Xiaotian is fine. Or Xiaoxiao, I guess- if that is easier to remember,"

MK grinned, "Aww, Xiaoxiao??" he asked.

Xiaotian waved it off, "Eh, my parents and uncles always called me that. And Red too, I suppose." he shrugged, talking to himself a little.

"Well, let me tell ya, it's nice to finally put a name to the- concept, of you." Mei gestured to him, "What have you two been up to?" she couldn't help but noticed the matching hats. And shirts. And sunglasses. "Do a bit of shopping?" she teased.

The two went back to back to strike a pose, "We look good?" Matching in orange and purple, the two were brightly colored and easily spotted in the distance.

"You look... great," Mei cringed. She reached out to steal MK's sunglasses, flipping them onto herself. "A little out there though," giving a twirl, she paused. She shifted her glasses down the bridge of her nose, peering at MK with a slight squint, "Hey, hang on-" At first, she dismissed it as a trick of the light or a common occurrence with MK's eyes. But now, it was undeniably clear to her. She took a step closer to him and gently placed her hand on his cheek. He immediately straightened up, his eyes wide with surprise.

"What?" he asked.

"Have your eyes always been gold?" she gawked at him.

MK's hand came up to his face, puzzled, "Gold?"

Xiaotian leaned in closer, unable to resist the temptation to observe what was happening between the two. The first time he had met MK, their eyes were a shimmering gold color. He mimicked Mei's squint, quietly asking, "Are they not normally gold?"

Mei, her mouth hanging open, shook her head, "No. They were brown." she leaned back, "At least- they were brown, weren't they?"

MK nodded quickly, snatching his phone to pull out the camera, "Of course they are brown-" he lifted it up, eating his words when golden irises started back at him. "...What?" He touched his cheek, pinching the area softly.

MK lowered the phone slowly, the three of them exchanging glances. Two of the three were far more startled then the newest member of their little trio.

"Sooo..." Xiaotian poked at MK's cheek, "Do human eyes change color or...?" he trailed off, waiting for them to fill in the space.

"They don't," Mei nudged Xiaotian a little, eyes narrowed for him to be a little more considerate with this.

"Wha- well how was I supposed to know?" the monkey pouted.

MK sat himself on a nearby bench, staring himself over from different angles. It wasn't as though his vision had changed or anything. Could it be a trick of the light? Or perhaps some strange side effect from finding Xiaotian? "They are gold..." It was startling, of course, but it didn't exactly feel like something he should fret about either.

"Well..." Mei juggled his options, "Maybe it's just a temporary thing," she suggested with a forced smile. "You look real good with gold anyway."

Xiaotian, ever the curious one, leaned in closer to examine MK's eyes. "It's like they're catching the sunlight and turning to gold," he observed, fascinated by the phenomenon. He brushed away some of MK's bangs, feeling a sense of familiarity.

It reminded him of his Dad...

"Well, I like them." he grinned. "They go well with your face," he flicked MK's bangs.

Not sure what to make of it, MK gave a small smile, "I'll ask my Dad's about it later. They are pretty smart when it comes to this kind of stuff," he concluded.

Mei gave a pat to his shoulder. She supposed there wasn't a point in fretting about things like this if it wasn't affecting MK negatively. Certaintly something to discuss later though.

"There are a lot of times your eyes seem gold to me," she announced. And in any case, how was she supposed to know what changes were or were not normal- Her own body could go through some pretty drastic changes on a whim if she willed it. Her own Glamor hid sharpened horns and far brighter green eyes. "They look good," she gave him some finger guns.

"Aww," MK cooked, pleased, "Ya think so?" if both of them liked it, he liked it too. He put his phone away. "Well, I'm golden eyed MK now." he patted his chest. "Admire me if you dare," he gave a wiggled to his eye brows.

Xiaotian snorted. Now THAT, was definitely like his Dad. "Okay Golden boy," he teased, "How about you tell us what are we going to do today?"

MK paused, "Um..." he looked to Mei for help.

She shrugged, "Not sure. I tend to figure it out as I go," she admits.

"We could give you a tour around the city since you're new," MK offered with a smile.

"Oh, just moved here or something?" Mei asked.

"Yeah pretty much," With a nod, Xiaotian gracefully jumped off the bench and landed in a crouched position on the ground. After knuckle walking a few feet, Xiaotian pointed ahead and said, "Let's move!"

"Um.." Mei pursed her lips and squinted at him, observing his peculiar gait, "...What'cha doin', guy?" she asked. "What's with the whole-" she gestured down to him.

He took her question the wrong way, thinking she meant his clothes and not his walking, "I'm in disguise, clearly." Xiaotian gestured to himself. "No one will realize I'm a monkey in this outfit." a simple purple hoodie with torn black jeans, an orange ball hat, a spiky belt, and large headphones around his shoulders. "Perfect right?" This was how humans tended to dress. At least, this is what they wore on those strange "Mannequins" at the store.

Xiaotian had punched one when it startled him, but MK assured it wasn't alive.

"MK helped me pick it out." he held out his arms.

MK gave a nod, "Yeah, he said it was really important he kept a low profile."

Mei looked concerned, "And you went with this choice?" she gestured to them.

"Yeah?" they titled their heads confused.

She pinched the bridge of her nose, "I mean, the outfit..." she still couldn't get over MK and Xiaotian's look, "It's fine," she mumbled, wondering what incorrect path MK was leading this naive boy down, "But..." Mei glanced at the clear tail that was hanging beside Xiaotian. "I do think it could use some improvements."

Xiaotian did a little spin, still knuckle walking, unable to see the clear error of his brilliant disguise. "What's wrong with it?"

"The colors." MK gasped, looking at Mei for confirmation.

Mei shook her head. If Xiaotian's goal was to not be recognized as a monkey, for whatever reason, some things had to be done, "No. For starters..." she tells the two, pointing to the tail. They two boys stare at it for a long time, slowly processing the error.

"Ooooh." they nod.

"And secondly-" she gestured to how Xiaotian carried himself. "People don't walk that way?"

Xiaotina glanced down at himself. Oh... right. Humans tended to walk on their back legs only.

He slowly stood up, dusting off his knees. Curling his tail around himself to look more like a second oddly furry belt, he held his arms out, "Better?" He strolled forward.
"....eh," she shrugged, not really feeling the vibe of it, "But it'll do for now,"

Chiming in, MK asked what the both humans were curious about, "Why do you need a disguise though?" demons in the city weren't uncommon. Pigsy and Sandy were one after all.

Mei gave a tease, "Running away from the law?" she meant it as a joke, but the way Xiaotian's eyes shifted was something she couldn't unsee.

"Well..." Xiaotian trailed off. "I wouldn't- quite call it that, but uh-" his ears flickered, "It's nothing to worry about."

"Oh we're definitely worried now," Mei corrected him.

MK gasped and covered his mouth, horrified. Knowing Xiaotian had lied just now, he started to panic, "Xiaotian say it isn't so~!" he wailed, snagging his shoulders. "Don't follow the life of a criminal! You have so much potential!"

Xiaotian held up his hands, frazzled. "What? No! I mean-" he was definitely running away from something, just not the law. "I didn't do anything illegal! I just don't like getting too many people staring at me." he brushed the topic to the side. "Demon monkeys aren't common."

"But why hide?" MK was confused. "I think it is cool you are a monkey."

Xiaotian lowered his gaze, "Thanks but, it's hard to explain. I would just rather not have anyone noticing me if I could,"

"Well that's super vague and concerning," Mei commented bluntly, arms folded. When Xiaotian frowned at her she frowned back. "It won't get MK in trouble or anything, will it?"

"Why would I get MK in trouble?" Xiaotian grouched back, insulted.

"I dunno, you tell me Mr. Secretive." she shot back, "For all I know you could be a member of a demon mafia wanted for questioning."

"Hey-" Xiaotian defended. "I would never-" He trailed off, "Wait," he doubled back, "A demon mafia? That's a thing?" He had never read about those! What were they like??

"Please don't talk about the demon mafias," MK pleaded. "The spider one especially," he shuddered. It was bad enough that particular group was taking up residence in their sewers apparently.

Mei covered MK's mouth, "Point is, we don't know that you aren't involved with them."

"I am not in any demon mafias!" Xiaotian shouted. "Though, that does sound curious-" he rubbed his chin, wondering what that even entailed. Could one make a mafia if they wanted??
MK gasped, covering Mei's mouth this time when a certain thought form his other half flooded into his brain, "Mei, don't give him ideas...!"

"I ain't giving him anything," she disagreed, licking at MK's hand to get him to remove it.

"Sorry about her," Mk apologized, "She didn't mean it." he snapped is fingers to get Xiaotian to focus, "No Mafia's." he poked his nose.

Xiaotian sputtered, realizing his thoughts had been caught. This connection was aways such a pick and choose in what was shared. So he pouted, "No mafia's. And I am not in a mafia, ok? I am just... laying low for a bit. That's all."

"Laying low from what?" Mei pressed. Xiaotian clearly had a tailspin of a tale to tell. Well, she was going to hear it one way or another for MK's sake. Just because Xiaotian was his other half didn't mean he was good to have around, and she had to make sure of that.

Xiaotian wrung his hands together. "It..." he chewed his bottom lip, glaring at his feet. "My Dad- I..."

MK quickly stepped between them, eyes wide. He didn't know what it was, but he could feel a suffocating sensation. The same sensation he had always felt before meeting Xiaotian.

The one that had him curling into himself behind the foot bleachers, and waking up in the middle of the night feeling ready to vomit. It was a feeling he didn't want Xiaotian to have to experience anymore. One he didn't want to feel anymore.

"Hey it's okay. If you don't wanna talk about it Xiaotian we don't have to." he assured him. In fact, he'd much rather just enjoy his time with his other half then get into anything too serious. "We should enjoy this beautiful day," He wrapped his arm around Xiaotian's shoulder. "Right??" he urged them both. He gave Mei a very pointed look for her to let it go.

Reluctantly, since it was hard to disagree with the ball of sunshine between them, the two nodded, "Right." their looks were still pointed to the other.

"Perfect!" MK cheered, arm still around them both as he steered them to the street, "Then let's go~"

Mei grinded her teeth a little, not exactly too excited. Not that she was displeased MK found his other half, but he was an unknown variable. If they could get along, that was great, but hiding his identity? Dodging certain questions?

Not exactly something that was screaming 'trustworthy' right off the bat.

Not wanting MK to get hurt as a result of these secrets, she followed. For MK she put on her best smile, prepared to watch Xiaotian closely.

Getting to the main road, MK paused to get themselves a city map. "We can use this to figure out where we want to go," he untangled it, revealing the long expanse of the city.

There were so many streets and buildings- not to mention this city had different levels with how it was structured. "This is just the map for this level." he held it up for Xiaotian to look.

Xiaotian gawked at it. It was so complicated- and this was just for one level. "Huh... well, let me," Xiaotian took it from MK, "I want to try and do it."

MK thought that was a great idea. The best way to learn was through experience, after all. Or at least, that is what his Dadsy always said, "Alright, then I'll leave it to you. Where are we headed?" He himself had learned this city layout when he was very young. It had to if he wanted to get back to the orphanage when left behind...

Mei looked over Xiaotian's shoulder as he scrutinized the map, "Preferably somewhere fun," she adds in.

Xiaotian pursed his lips, hard to tell what was considered "fun" using the maps layout. Eventually he pointed to a set of small font that read "Arcade District".

"This place looks fun," he suggested.

Mei and MK gave wild nods of their heads, "The best district," they agreed in unison.

Which is was, but 20 minutes later, Mei and MK stared up at the book shop on 22nd street. Which, as two people who had lived here all their lives, was the exact opposite direction of where Xiaotian intended to take them. The simian was grumbling as he flipped the map upside down, confused.

"You doing alright there, buddy?" Mei smirked.

Xiaotian pursed his lips. "Doing fine." he shot her a small glare over his shoulder, "Just uh... Exploring the city a little."

"You lost?" MK asked, wanting to help.

"No." Xiaotian's ears twitched. "...Um... N-No, I'm good," he said a second time, more certain this time.

"What street are you trying to get to then?" Mei lifted her eyebrows, a sweet smile hiding her evil cackle.

After a moment, Xiaotian cleared his throat, eyes closed with indifference. "Barnley Street."

MK and Mei glanced at the map, pointing to it. "That was 16 streets ago."

"Sixte–?!" his eyes popped opened, lurching forward to press his face to the map. "Ughhhh!" Xiaotian threw his head back in despair. "How does anyone get anywhere in this city??" he tossed the map, officially giving up.

MK chuckled, snatching it from the air, "It's a big place, so it's okay. If you've never lived here before it can get pretty confusing. We can just back track," He took Xiaotian by the arm, turning them around to head back towards Barnley street. A few steps into it, MK pulled out his phone, "Oh hey, can I actually get your social while we walk?"

Xiaotian's expression was blank. "Social?"

"Social media." Mei waved her phone around this time.

Xiaotian continued to stare, "..."

"You at least have a phone, right?" Mei paled.

Xiaotian pulled out his phone and Mei was grateful he at least to have one of those. It was a model she had never seen, the screen slick black and the case specially designed. This guy seemed so out of touch with the world, yet his phone was decked out??

"Dude," the two humans gawked at it.

"I don't use it a lot," Xiaotian had only ever really used his phone to contact Red Son or watch Youtube, if he was honest. There wasn't the best service at Flower Fruit Mountain. He knew all the different social media accounts but had never signed up for a single one. "What are your numbers?"

Exchanging numbers, Xiaotian stared at his contact list. Going from one to three in a matter of seconds. His tail swayed a little around his waist, pleased.

Kind of like... friends. In a way... An embarrassing sort of way.

"Heh..." he covered his smile with his hand.

MK leaned forward with a cheeky grin, "Someone is happy~" he says, feeling the wave of joy coming from Xiaotian.

Xiaotian nudged him away, his cheeks red, "A-Anyway-" he cleared his throat, swallowing the bubbly feeling down. "What apps do you two use?"

"Tumblr, mostly." MK says and listed a few more, "Got one of those?" he could see how Xiaotian frowned, his thumbs typing something in. "It's alright if you don't-"
Xiaotian was already downloading the apps, eager to see what they might do if MK liked them.
When he came to profile creation, Mei was quick to step in and assist. She sat the guy on a bench, moving around to the back of it to lean over his shoulder.

"Then add a profile page." Mei peered down, instructing this poor lost lamb through the process of setting up and account. "Pick a name, and say a bit about yourself. Then you'll pick a profile pic." She clicked to Xiaotian's camera, letting everything he had already taken appear on the screen. A perfect chance to peer into the guys life without him even realizing this.

Xiaotian was naive enough to let them see, scrolling through the photos.

Monkeys. Monkeys. Monkeys. More monkeys?? How many photo's of monkeys did this guy have?? Mei had no clue what to do with this information.

MK peeked at his selfies too, noting many were with adorably cheeky monkeys, and the same Red headed guy. He had a rough expression, his eyes smoldering red that matched his hair. Sharp horns stuck out from the side of his skull. Despite his grumpy look, his had his arm wrapped snuggle around Xiaotian in almost every photo.

"Who is that?" he asked.

"My best friend," Xiaotian smiled. "Red," He pined a little, browsing through them. "He's a dork but you can't tell him I said that."

"Aww," Mk gushed.

Mei quirked an eye brow up, but kept her comments to herself, "That one looks good." she pointed to a selfie of Xiaotian up somewhere high. Mostly like a mountain of some sorts, the view drop dead gorgeous. "Dang," she whistled. "You got some good scenery shots."

"Yeah," Xiaotian swipped through them. Same old same old if you asked him.

Their "search for something fun to do" and divulged down to "Teaching Xiaotian about the internet" but Mk didn't consider it a loss of time. It was fun teaching someone something new and showing Xiaotian all the different things you could do.

Xiaotian seemed so level headed and cool, so it surprised him how naive he was to some things.

Social media, bus transportation, they even had to explain to him how cross walks work when they got to one.

"Oh really? I've just been living out my frogger life to avoid getting hit by cars." Xiaotian titled his head back and snorted.

"Ooookay." MK stressed about that, grasping Xiaotian's hand immediately to make sure he didn't wander out to the street, "Definitely use the crosswalk, please."

"And here, let's just get two birds one stone." Mei snatched the map from MK's hand. "All these little markers are for bus picks ups." After going over the map with the monkey, they explained it in as much detail as they possibly could. Where to read the street signs above their heads, what little symbols meant what- it was foolproof. There was no way for this guy to get lost now.

"So you think you got it?" Mei asked.

"Yeah." Xiaotian nods. "Nothing is going to get in my way now." they handed him the map to give them the next set of directions, even though as people who had lived there their whole lives, they knew exactly where they were headed.

As predicted, Xiaotian immediately turned down the wrong side street. "Um..." Mei cleared her throat, making the Monkey freeze and look at them.
"This way." MK pointed to it. Xiaotian rushed to follow, frowning at the map.

"Got it, got it," he blushed. A few moments later, he peeked over his shoulder at MK, quietly asking for help on whether to turn left or right when Mei wasn't looking.

MK gave a little tilt of his head to the right to help out.
After a few more minutes, Xiaotian lead them right to the city park, cheering in victory that he had found the center of the city, "we arrived!" he proclaimed in victory.

"Yay!" MK mimicked him. "Though... this isn't the arcade district~" he sang.

Xiaotian froze, "Dang it!" he tossed the map down.

"I'm more amazed you manage to find your way home every night." Mei laughed. Then she paused, "You ever get loss doing that?"

Xiaotian folded his arms, his face unreadable. "...No, I do not." Mei almost bought it, if MK didn't seem to sense the boy's lie.

"Oh my gosh, please tell me you know how to get home," MK says in horror.

Xiaotian pursed his lips, indignantly mumbling, "I know what the building looks like." he just hadn't seen said building in a while.

"That's not reassuring." Mei mutters.

"Have you been lost this entire time?!" MK grasped Xiaotian's hand, concern in his eyes.

Xiaotian pouted like a grumpy three year old, "I was fineeee," he wiggled his arms.

"No, you were not!" They both scolded in unison.

Mei shook her head, "How do you even get that loss? Normally people write down where they moved to or, or don't travel to far from it at first??"

"It's hard, okay?? This city is big and loud and- and big!!" The monkey insisted, throwing his arms to the side. "I followed the map and everything. I got pushed onto one of those big moving machines. Somehow ended up on the east side of town-" He shakes his head, tossing the map from his pocket into a nearby trash can.

"Big machine?" Mei squinted her eyes for more details. "Elaborate."

"Yeah the big things. Long and squishes a lot of people inside like sardines." Xiaotian made the general shape with his hands.

"A bus?" they asked. "Or even the trolleys?"

Xiaotian seemed puzzled, "I think a buss has wheels, right? This thing was on tracks so-"
"The trolleys," MK and Mei concluded. MK could see it now, Xiaotian being swept away by a crowd of citizens and squished into the confines of the trolley- blinking in confusion but not trying to stop it in anyway. "Oh Xiaotian," he felt this strange sigh come from his mouth. It felt so natural- like he was already getting used to his antics.

"Don't "Xiaotian" me," the monkey huffed, embarrassed. "This is all new. I feel I'm safer just jumping over the building rooftops whenever I need to go somewhere, but I get weird looks if I do."

MK found that funny, "Have you been doing that??"

"A little," He turned when MK continued to laugh. He felt himself smile, a strange warmth in his belly. "Come on, give me some slack. I'm new to town." he scratched behind his ears. "Not much of a city guy."
"I can tell!" Mei gawked at him.

"Okay, change of plans," MK concluded, getting a nod of agreement from Mei. "We are finding where you live first, then we can explore."

Xiaotian frowned slightly, but conceded that it was probably a good idea to figure out the location of the apartment. After all, wat if Red Son appeared unexpectedly? He didn't want to worry him of all people that he couldn't handle it out here.

"So what does the building look like? Or even called?" Mei asked.

Xiaotian thought about it, tapping his chin. "It was uh- big and brown? Had windows and balconies?"

"That comment is even more unhelpful," Mei folds her arms.

Xiaotian scratched his head, trying to recall any distinct details about his apartment building. After a moment of silence, a light bulb seemed to go off in his head.

"Oh! I remember now," Xiaotian exclaimed, a spark of recognition in his eyes. "There's this flower shop on the corner near my place. Had some wackly themed flowers."

Mei and MK exchanged glances, realizing that finding a flower shop with wacky themed flowers might be a more feasible task than searching for a generic big brown building in the vast city.

Mei was pulling out her phone to pull up a search bar, typing in the words to look for any flower shops in the city. Once she had them up, she narrowed it down to shops right on street corners. "It's not till you look that you realize you many similar shops there are," she grumbled.

As she diligently searhed, MK leaned closer to Xiaotian, "So you meant what you said yesterday? Do you really live alone?" He figured if Xiaotian didn't, he might have had some contact to try and figure out where his home was.

Xiaotian twirled a strand of his hair around his finger, "Basically." It was a strange thing to say, considering he had never lived alone before. Even if his parents were gone for weeks at a time, he was never truly alone. The tribe was always there to keep him company.

"Isn't that..." MK hesitated for a moment, nervous to say it.

"Lonely?" Xiaotian filled in the gaps. He only nodded to MK's question. It was, but it was better than what he was doing before.

Mei cleared her throat "Okay, I got some options," she explained, showing him a picture of an apartment. "Is this it?"
"No," he shakes his head.

She clicked her teeth, crossing that off the list.

After a few more failed attempts, Mei finally stumbled upon a familiar-looking flower shop in the city directory. The storefront was adorned with vibrant, whimsical flowers that seemed to dance in the sunlight in a strange theme.

Xiaotian's eyes lit up in recognition as he exclaimed, "That's the one! That's the flower shop near my place!"

"Okay well there we go! On Mint street!" MK grinned, "We just go to that flower shop, and check all the apartments in the area. Bound to find the building that is yours."

"And then I can use my key to the door it goes to," Xiaotian concluded. He casually leaned over, where his shadow casted beside him. With a flick of his wrist, he reached into his shadow. Mei and MK's eyes widened as they squished their faces together, gawking as the monkey performed a sense of witchcraft before their eyes.

"Here we are~" Xiaotian produced a set of keys on a pink key chain. He paused, staring it over. "Oh wait- no no, not this one." he returned the keys to the shadowy pits, a new pair of keys following. "No. Not that one. Nope." after going through at least a handful of different keys, a single key emerged. "This is it."

Mei and MK leaned over, their eyes wide in astonishment. "...You just- you yanked that from your shadow," Mei whispered in disbelief.

"Yeah, I can do that." Xiaotian nods, the act as casual to him as breathing. He took a second to examine the key chain Red Son had left with him.

The red key chain was basic, with only one key attached. A small card hung from the chain, bearing a simple message. A message Xiaotian hadn't bothered to read until now.

"(GET THE ROOM NUMBER MEMORIZED. Don't you dare forget it! It's 402! If you get lost I swear to the Heavenly realm Xiaoxaio, I will drag you back to your mountain!)

"Heh," Xiaotian shook his head as he read it over. Red Son's hand writing as pristine and pretty as ever. "Should have written the building too if he didn't want me to forget." he spun the keys. He flipped the card over, pursing his lips.

"The building is called Grand Rosso on Mint street. If you get lost ask for directions. You better ask for directions! Or call me if you can't find it! If you are gone longer than 42 hours the motion triggers in the apartment will know and warn me. AND DON't Lose this Key! I explicitly made it shiny. Don't. Lose. It. I have a spare but I don't want to have to run over to give you the spare! ....Have fun, be safe.- Red Son."

Xiaotian's smile faltered, quickly flipping the card back around when Mei squinted her eyes at him when he went very pale.

"Everything okay?"

"Yup." He cleared his throat, "Welp... we should get to that apartment that I dunno the name of," he coughed.

Mei's eye brow twitched, slowly putting away her phone. MK was still poking at Xiaotian's shadow, "Why do you have so many keys?"

"They were shiny." Xiaotian says, a tilt to his head. "I got loads of shiny stuff in here." And no Baba to tell him he had to put it back~

He stepped closer to his shadow, bending down to stick his upper torso into it. He rummaged around inside like it was any other trunk storage box.

MK and Mei glanced around wildly, wondering if anyone was looking. The concept of "Low profile" seemed to be forgotten by this guy quite often.

Xiaotian emerged from his shadow with a mischievous grin, holding a handful of various shiny objects. "I got all sorts of things."

Being shown a dazzling trove of random and an uncoordinated assortment of items, Mei blinked. MK seemed enthralled, fascinated in his other half's secret collection.

"You have so many things," he marveled. Though, some of them seemed to have names on them that didn't match Xiaotian. "Did you thrift these or something?"

"Thrift?" Xiaotian asked.

"Like, a thrift store. Or garage sales," MK smiles.

Xiaotian tilted his head once, then twice. "Nope." he tossed the items back into his shadow, leaving it at that.

Mei and MK exchanged a bewildered look as Xiaotian closed his shadow like a chest and straightened up, ready to lead the way to Grand Rosso on Staplets street.

Wait- he glanced at the card.

Mint street, he meant!

They followed him through the bustling city streets, the afternoon sun casting long shadows on the pavement.

Mei quietly leaned over to MK to whisper, offering only the simplest guidance to MK, "He totally stole all that."

MK gawked at her. While normally yes he always had a- pinch of distrust for everyone he met, he had no reason to have that with Xiaotian. "What? No he didn't," Stealing would be wrong, and Xiaotian would never do something like that.

"I'm just saying man, those kleptos? They got a look about them, and Xiaotian's got that grabby grabby look," Mei insists. "Who has that many keys? Or pocket watches??" she smirked, needing only to add, "Where are your house keys?"

MK nudged her, "They are in my pocket-" he patted his pocket, finding it empty. Panicking for a moment he scrambled to look through his jacket pockets next.

Stunned, he looked ahead to see Xiaotain fiddling with them as they walk. "Wha- Xiaotian!" he rushed ahead.

"Yes?" he asked, distracted by the fidget toy MK had attached to the key ring. He was spinning the toy around, mesmerized.

"I-I think you have my keys," MK stammered, reaching out to grab them back. Xiaotian blinked in surprise and held the jingling keys out of MK's reach. "..."

MK frowned a little, "Xiaotian."

"Oh, these shiny things?" Xiaotian teased, twirling the keys around his finger with practiced ease. "But I like them. They're so sparkly and fun to play with~"

"Wha-" MK narrowed his eyes, trying to snatch them. Xiaotian ducked around him, scrambling in circles around Mei to avoid him.

"Finders Keepers!"

"They were in my pocket-!" MK disagreed.

Mei snorted, "Strange~ You might say all those other keys were in people's pockets too." she folded her arms.

MK attached himself to Xiaotian's side, both wrestling the other to get the keys. "Stealing would be wrong. Xiaotian would never." he paused, "Right??" he held his other half accusingly.

Xiaotian's eyes widened for a moment. Then relaxed, his ears twitching, "...Right."

MK gasped in horrified shock, "Xiaotian, no! Tell me you didn't!"

"Okay, I didn't." his ears still flickering like the liar he was.

"I CANNOT believe what I am hearing??" MK yanked his keys back, "Are you saying everything you showed me was stolen?" MK sounded like a bewildered parent. "

"Well..." The simian trailed off, trying to play it off. "Not everything?"

MK touched his chest, affronted, "Why I never-!" he waggled his finger at Xiaotian, "Oh you best believe we are having words about this young man~!" he scolded like a single Mother.

Xiaotian shrunk a little, his lips squiggly as he refused to look at MK- feeling the parental shame in waves through their connection. "Ugh- your' just like my Dad," he grumbled under his breath.

"What was that??" MK challenged.

Xiaotian straightened, "Nothing, nothing~"

Mei was snickering to the side. A bag of popcorn would make this moment perfect. This was comedic gold~

"How many things have you stolen. Out with it," MK snapped his fingers.

Xiaotian swayed back and forth, looking begrudgingly annoyed, "I don't keep track."

"Well you better start keeping track because we are returning it and handing it over to the local authorities." MK settled his hands on his hips.

Xiaotian leaned back with a exasperated groan, his arms slouching back. Now this was starting to feel like his Baba. His parents would love MK. "Is it really that big of a deal?"

"Stealing isn't right," MK folded his arms, his conviction on this matter clear.

"I never really considered it stealing," Xiaotian shrugged, scrutinized under MK's heavy gaze. He rubbed his arm, laughing sheepishly, "More like-" he drawled, "Borrowing long term?" MK gave him a bop on the head, eyes narrowed. "OW!"

MK cleared his throat, clearly quoting something he had once heard when he spoke next, "Stealing is only for those who aren't willing to work hard enough to earn what they desire."

Mei chimed in, "Get that from your teacher fellow?"
MK looked proud as he said, "Of course I did~"

Xiaotian sighs, stepping to the side to show his shadow, "Alright, go ahead then." he gestured for MK to have at it. MK looked pleased he seemed to get through to Xiaotian, strolling forward. When he moved to reach into the shadow and copy what Xiaotian had done earlier, his face instead smacked against the wall the shadow was spread across.

Xiaotian's evil little giggle followed, "Oh, my bad~ Are you not able to bend the shadows to your will as I can? Oh noo~ However will you get into my secret treasure trove now?" he gasped.

MK rubbed his nose, turning slowly to Xiaotian with a wide eyed look. Mei was cackling behind them, clutching her stomach. "Oh- Oh I love this guy~" She had to admit, he was growing on her. Annoying, 100%, but definitely funny.

MK smirked, rubbing his nose where it had hit the wall. "Oh, you think you're so clever,"

Xiaotian shifted back and forth, his smile smug, "I do try my best," he replied. MK shook his head in disbelief.

"Alright, enough games," MK declared with a newfound determination, straightening up and fixing Xiaotian with a pointed stare. "I may not be able to manipulate shadows like you can- which is, like, amazing by the way, but I have other skills up my sleeve." He rolled up his sleeves.

Curious, Mei and Xiaotian watched him slick back his hair, readying himself for- whatever he was about to do. MK lifted his finger, stuck it in his mouth, pulled it out, and then lunged. "C'mere!" he snagged Xiaotian when the monkey tried to run.

Head locking Xiaotian, the monkey let out a startled chirp. "What are you-!"

"WET WILLIE!" MK declared, sticking his finger right into Xiaotian's ear. "Give back what you stole! Give back what you stole! Give back what you stole!!!"

Xiaotian screamed, kicking wildly. "Ahh! GROSS! GROSS! Ahhh!" Xiaotian squirmed and shrieked as MK persisted with his wet willy assault. Mei was doubled over with laughter, tears streaming down her face. She pulled out her phone, stealing a quick video of the altercation.

"Get him, MK!" she cheered.

Managing to slip free, Xiaotian ran around the closet phone booth, MK hot on his heels, "Get your nasty finger away from me!" Xiaotain demanded.

"Look to the path of good!" MK insisted.

Beep! Beep!

All three froze to a strange noise.

A peculiar noise echoed in the air, originating from a mysterious source on Xiaotian. A blinking red light caught his attention on his wrist, causing him to stare at it with awe. He stared at it, his expression brightening as a voice emanated from the shiny contraption attached to his wrist.

All at once he stopped, straightening his back and using his tail to calmly keep MK at bay. Startled, MK sputtered when the tail smacked him in the face. "Huh?" Lowering his finger at the sight of some strange device on his other half's wrist, he tilted his head, "What is that?"

"Oh it's-!" Xiaotian grinned, "Hold on, time out. I gotta take this." he insisted to MK, holding the device closer to his ear.

"Oranges, do you read? Come in, Oranges." A voice came from the device.

Mei and MK glanced at each other when Xiaotian responded, "Red!" he squealed.

———————————————————————-

Red Son had been going over his map when his Mother knocked on his door. He had put on the facade of searching, his eyes locked on the contents of the map. He had gone out several times to "search" for Xiaotian, returning in failure each instance.

It was hard to find the time to try and sneak away with everyone's eyes on him. It had only been a few days yes, but he also hadn't taken the risk of contacting Xiaotian over their the communicators on their wrists.

When he left he made it clear he was searching for his friend. And if anyone so happened to tail him on these searches, they would see him doing just that- searching. Questioning the locals. The perfect worried friend.

Easy to pretend to be worried... when he was.

Red Son was very serious about the note he left with Xiaotian explaining the motion detectors in the apartment. They had sensed nothing in 48 hours- meaning Xiaotian hadn't been there!

What was he up to?? Did he get lost? Was he purposely just not going home so that he could roam at his leisure?? He could contact Xiaotian of course, but breaking radio silence was a risky move with his parents.

Instead he focused on his work and his "Search" for his missing friend. He had to just trust Xiaotian was okay. As much as it killed him to do so.

His busy searching seemed enough to placate his parent's doubts either way, as they never expected their son to lie to them.

When Iron Fan had made her way into her Son's workshop, she stared at his back for a long time. No longer was he the little boy she would rock to sleep. He was a budding man now, looking more and more like his Father with every passing year.

He seemed busy, pouring himself into searching for the missing Monkey Prince. He was loyal, so incredibly so. In truth, if he came to them saying he wanted to hoard the Prince like some valuable treasure to keep for himself... they might not bat an eye.

Of course, Iron Fan might eventually break as the little treasure was Mihou's son, but she'd at least indulge her son for a time. If her son desired something so feverishly, why wouldn't she do what she could to get it for him?

Ah, but, she had no proof he had aided the little flower of the mountain, had she? So she kept that thought to herself.

"Son," she strolled within, her hands folded infront of her. She eyed his work bench for a moment, then looked back at him. He stood straight, giving a little nod and bow.

"Mother," he greeted quietly.

"Still searching?" she asked.

He turned, mostly to hide his expression and his lies, "Of course I am," he says quickly. "I've been... coming up with nothing but failure." his voice was tight. Easily mistaken as a frustration to himself, but in truth, it was the feeling of guilt that gnawed at him.

Lying to his Mentor Liu'er Mihou and Sun Wukong, was easy. He could do that as much as needed.

But lying to his parents were a different story.

As his mother studied him with a keen eye, Red Son felt a surge of conflicting emotions - the desire to protect Xiaotian warred with the obligation to obey his family. He struggled to maintain the facade of loyalty while battling the turmoil within him.

"I'm sure he wouldn't have gotten far," his Mother says, perhaps as a means to comfort him. "I did not come here to discuss the Monkey Prince however." When he slowly looked at her, puzzled, she continued, "Your Father and I will be heading to the celestial realm."
Red Son's eyes widened, "What?" he asked, "Whatever for?"

"Diplomentary duties and other trifling matters," she folds her arms with an annoyed sigh. "It will be some time while we are there."

Red Son stepped closer, unable to believe his ears, "How long will you be gone for?"
"A few months I suspect. We are taking a large part of your robotic army, you see. We plan to show it off to the Celestial realms for those above to bare witness to it's power."

Red Son's face felt hot. So his parents would basically be flaunting around his work?? What bragging to do, taking a fleet of soldiers to slowly march across the realm just in a show of power.

And it is 100% something his Father would do.

"What of the domain while you are gone?" he pondered. If one of them were gone for the time, sure, but both?

"We will leave it in your care," His mother says, "You are old enough to perform such a task. Should you need us, you can reach out."

Red Son swallowed thickly, the very concept mind boggling. Him? In charge of the realm for that long? It was a large step from simply joining his Father on meetings to running the entire place by himself. He couldn't exactly say no however, not when this was his chance to test himself as well.

At some point he had to be given something like this. His chance to show the world what he could do.

But more than that, far more than that, if his parents were gone, there would be no one to wonder where he went. No dinners he might risk being late to, or excuses he had to come up with if he took his bike on a long joy ride to a particular city.

The domain was self-sufficient and he could easily have the remaining bots running it in his absence. He had access to every camera in this place and control and timing of every meeting. He could plan his day around it.

Could plan when he was here, and when he was with a particular monkey prince.

He tried not to sound too eager when he said, "If you wish for it, it will be done, Mother."

She tilted his chin upward with her finger, giving a smile. "Keep your head up high, my Son. You will be representing the Bull family going forward."

When wasn't he representing them? He nodded regardless, giving a smile.

The next morning, Red Son watched as the army departed from their home. He stood at the entrance and gazed toward the horizon where the sun was rising. His parents sat on thrones made of stone slabs, carried by four robots below. The army marched proudly beneath them, ready for battle. His parents looked regal and proud, overseeing their marching army.

If Xiaotian were here, he might have called it "Extra", but Red Son saw no issue with this display. They were showing their power just as they deserved to.

As his parents vanished into the horizon, Red Son felt a weight settle on his shoulders. The responsibility of overseeing the domain now rested solely on him, and he was determined to prove himself capable. With a deep breath, he turned back to the entrance of the palace, steeling himself for the tasks ahead.

The first order of business was to ensure that everything continued to run smoothly in his parents' absence. Red Son called upon his most trusted advisors and commanders, outlining his expectations and delegating duties with precision. The robotic army marched crisply in formation, their metallic footsteps echoing through the palace grounds.

Despite the initial rush of adrenaline at the prospect of leading, the day progressed as any other. He did his daily tasks, checking over his Mother's work for the day, and finishing just as much before Dinner.

He eyed the clock, anxiously tapping his foot.

His patience had been tested for far too many days, so without further delay, he pulled back his sleeve to reveal the golden communicator that adorned his wrist.

He pressed the button, speaking a message into the speech box. "Oranges, do you read? Come in, Oranges." He had set up this name as a precaution. Neither were allowed to contact the other unless Red Son was in the clear of not being heard. And in case he was forced to speak into the device by his parents, or a certain pair of simians, since neither knew if their parents were aware of their secret communication system, they had made up a code. If Red Son referred to Xiaotian by his name, Xiaotian was not to respond under any circumstances.

Yet if Red Son called him "Oranges", which Xiaotian insisted because it was his favorite fruit, then it was Xiaotian's assurance they were clear.

There was a long delay in response, in which Red Son almost sent a second message, but a muffly response eventually followed.

"Red!" Xiaotian's voice, as clear as a bell came from the device. "You broke radio silence?? Red, it's been days. Things out in the mortal realm are crazy! I have so much to tell you. You won't believe what happened recently~"

Red Son leaned back against his chair, eyes closing for a moment to simply listen to Xiaotian. His voice a sound he missed, "I'll actually have more free time to contact you then I first surmized," he admitted. While eager to hear of Xiaotian's adventures, he spoke of his news first. Explaining how his parents would be gone, leaving more room for them to meet up in the time given.

Xiaotian was nearly buzzing on the other side, "Then! Then could you come see me right now??" Red Son faltered for a moment. Xiaotian was requesting to see him- now? "We could grab dinner."

Dinner? Together? Just the two of them? Red SOn felt his throat constrict. He fidgeted with his tie, caught off guard by the unexpected invitation. "O-Oh um- T-That would be-" a warmth was rushing up to his cheeks.

"You have to meet my friends,"

Red Son paused, his previous thoughts cut short. "Friends?" he repeated. He had no doubt Xiaotian would make some. The guy was naturally outgoing and cheerful. Still, he had made some already? He only hoped Xiaotian was being cautious in what he was telling or showing them. A low profile was vital in ensuring Xiaotian didn't get discovered.

"Yeah I-" Xiaotian sounded as if he couldn't contain his smile, "There is one in particular you won't believe when you meet."

Red Son found that puzzling, not sure what that meant. "Very well then. Give me a location and I will meet you there," he concluded. These so called "friends" would have to meet him first if they wanted to linger in Xiaotian's life.

Xiaotian gave him an address, and Red Son wrote the numbers down. "Alright, I will be there promptly." he paused, "And then you can explain why you haven't been to the apartment in a few days," his eyes narrowed dangerously.

There was a prolonged silence on the other end. When Xiaotian clicked talk, Red Son could hear some stranger giggling in the background. It was a girls' voice. "Sounds like you're in trouble~"

Xiaotian hissed at her to be quiet. His voice got sweeter, as if he thought he could get out of this by being cute, "I will happily explain to you, in person... With witnesses around." Xiaotian laughed nervously.

Red Son narrowed his eyes, reaching for his coat. "I look forward to it then," he says stiffly.

Xiaotian gave a laugh, tense and chirpy, "C-Cool~ See you soon! You're the best~ Best guy in the world~"

"Flattery will not save you from my wrath," Red Son grumbled, snatching his keys.

Xiaotian laughed nervously the entire way until the call disconnected.

————————

Wukong picked at the food that Mihou had slipped Infront of him. "Eat, Peaches," Macaque coursed, slipping his fingers against the back of Wukong's neck to give a small assuring squeeze. Not that food necessarily assured Wukong's strength, but the repetition of some normalicy was needed.

Despite the familiarity of the peach in front of him, Wukong's mind was elsewhere, "I'm not really hungry."

"I know," Mihou whispered, "But try anyway, alright?" He lifted a slice up, letting Wukong take a small bite before lowering the rest down. Kissing his mate's forehead, he cleaned up the maps and such off the ground. They had been scouring over them for days now, going over everything they knew of the surrounding area.

Every village, Demon camp, domain, anything within 30 miles was combed over front to back. There was no sign of their little boy.

It was hard to imagine he had gotten too far unless he never stopped. Unless he found himself some boat or transportation.

Staring over a scroll, Macaque's eyes flickered up to their son's room. The door was open, the emptiness inside like a void in his chest. He could close the door, he supposed, but he needed the constant reminder that it was empty to keep his mind focused on the brutal fact; their son was gone.

He shuffled around to finish his cleaning, setting the scrolls up and away for the time being. Their search was far from over, but they needed rest.

That is when it walked into the room. It was a silent as a mouse, but it's swaying arms were hard not to hear.

The shadowy form Xiaotian had left behind was still there, neither parent having the will power to remove this lingering part of their son from their life. It was just as painful to look at it as it was to keep it around, however.

As all clones eventually did, now that it's main objective was done and it's host's parents had discovered his rouse, it was left confused- curious. Like some toddler it wandered, going through things to see what they were or what they did.

It often kept close to Mihou and Wukong- liking their smell. It was limited in knowledge, only knowing what Xiaotian had imparted with it before cutting ties- but these two were his "parents". Or, at least his host's parents- so subsequentally his own as well.

Mihou watched the clone intently as it roamed around the room, knocking over books and crawling under the couch with no apparent purpose or understanding.

Wukong listened to the clone with a mix of wariness and sadness. The sight of it, a mere echo of Xiaotian, dragging the king's spirits down with every pitter patter of it's feet. His son was out there, being tracked down by who knows how many clones at this point. Mihou had insisted they return home to rest while the clones continue to search, but being here with Xiaotian's own image was even worse.

As the clone knocked over a vase, Wukong sighed and stood up, walking over to it.

"Hey there," he said softly, crouching down to its level. The clone turned its head towards him, its eyes devoid of understanding. Yet, there- was recognition when it looked at Wukong- a sense of calm and trust. It was a strange existence, Wukong thought, to be a being without purpose or direction.

Mihou joined Wukong, both helping the clone to pick up the pieces of the vase. Wukong held his hands out to the clone so that it would hand him the broken pieces it had collected. Obediently it dropped off the remnants in Wukong's open palm.

"Good job," Wukong mumbled, his eyes downcast.

The clone made a noise that sounded like a mix between a chirp and a hum, watching Wukong with an almost childlike curiosity. What a familiar noise- it broke Wukong's heart to hear it.

So he quickly rose and turned, taking the vase pieces to the table to try and put it back together. Mihou lingered where he was, his eyes on the clone. He started to reach for it, then thought better. "Why don't you go play?" he offered the clone.

The clone hesitated for a moment, unsure of what "play" meant. But then, it slowly shuffled towards a box of wooden blocks in the corner of the room. It had dragged them out of the closet a day or so ago- they were Xiaotian's old toys.

Mihou watched as it clumsily picked up a block, turning it around in its hands, trying to make sense of it. Sighing, he returned to Wukong.

The King managed to piece together the vase as best as he could, the cracks still visible but the structure holding. There were no words that could be spoken- nothing could ease the tension or fix the weight on their hearts.

So Macaque adjusted his scarf, "I'm going to check on Taru and the tribe." it had been some time since he had done so. He trusted them to watch over themselves in their absence, but he was sure they had their own concerns and questions for their missing Prince. None of them seemed to know or even see Xiaotian when he had left. They had hoped at least one of them had, but no luck.

"Alright," Wukong murmured, wishing he could drown out the sounds of the clone's curious chirping. Sweet and echoing, a distant replica of his boy's. It was maddening.

As Mihou walked away, Wukong let out a deep exhale and lowered his forehead to the table. He shut his eyes tightly, attempting to block out everything around him.

The echo of Xiaotian's laughter, now mimicked by the clone, haunted him like a ghost from a past that felt both too recent and yet impossibly far away. He could almost feel Xiaotian's presence in the room, his warmth and vibrant energy that used to fill every corner with life.

"I hate you!"

He winced, Xiaotian's words sharp blades to his soul. He had hoped, after his traveling with his Master, that he had been "enlightened" as many claimed him to have been. Yet, he didn't feel like that at all. He felt more foolish then ever.

No one had prepared him for things like this. There was no manual or guide on what to do when you have a child. How to feel when something so precious steals your heart and dances over fire with it. He had always been over protective of what he claimed was "his", but never to this extent.

Perhaps there was a time he was this way with Mihou, but his mate had always been so stubborn- so quick to put Wukong in his place if he tried. His brothers were similar.

Wukong had also been similar with his Master, since that man was like cat nip to every demon within a few mile radius.

Yet nothing was the same when his son came into his life. A life so sweet and so bright- It often made Wukong forget the cruelty of the world.

And what also made it so much harder to grasp when he was finally reminded of it. It was part of nature- part of life. Good and bad.

"...I should have been the one to show him that good was worth the bad," he whispered. Running his hand though his hair, the sounds of the shadow playing behind him were hard to listen to.

With a deep sigh, he rose from his seat and made his way to the kitchen, thirst clawing at his throat. The cool condensation of the glass of water felt soothing against his palm as he lifted it to his lips, taking in the refreshing liquid with each gulp.

!!!

Wukong's hand froze, a jolting tingle moving up his back. Alarms were going off in his head.

He could feel a sharp panic, a warning from his mate through their bond. He turned, stumbling from the kitchen to urgently address Xiaotian's clone, "Stay here!" he commanded to it.

He was shooting from their home at breakneck speed. He knew not what had put Mihou on edge, but it didn't matter. Bodily tossing himself from the safety behind the waterfall, he threw himself into the air. Unlike Mihou, he could not simply teleport himself to his mate's soul- but that didn't mean he couldn't track it down just as easily.

His golden gaze had locked in with the darker swirls of Mihou's presence, tracking it to the east side of the mountain. It took only getting close to recognize a second soul- positioned infront of his mate in a stand off. Mihou had his weapon drawn, holding it towards the intruder.

Wukong heard a voice as he crashed to the earth, "And the Mighty King arrives." The voice was sickeningly sweet and all too familiar.

Wukong let out a fierce growl as he stood up, his eyes glinting with a golden light. "Erlang," he snarled.

The man, or the monster, stood casually, daring to step foot into the Monkey's domain. His dog sat idly at his side, it's demenor calm- for now. Able to switch at the slightest inclination to his Master. "Is that anyway to treat your guest?" Erlang asked coyly.

"Funny," Wukong stepped closer to Mihou, checking him over for any injuries. Finding none, he was relieved, "I don't recall inviting you."

Erlang tapped his chin, "Oh, really?" he mused. "Well, I'm here anyway," he produced a scroll, holding it to his side, "And here I was hoping we could reminisce about the good times."

Mihou scoffed, barring his teeth, "Good times," he mocked. "The only good time I have from you is when I almost gouged out your third eye."

Erlang's typically cheerful smile faltered, briefly revealing a simmering anger towards the six-eared Macaque. In the dim lighting, it was clear that he was struggling to keep his rage contained as he locked eyes with the primate. If given the opportunity, he may have attacked before Wukong arrived. It would only be fair to, in Erlang's mind, after what Macaque had done.

Back when Wukong had still been imprisoned under that mountain as he should be. Back when Macaque had arrived in Erlang's domain, the Monkey as dark and unpredictable as the night sky itself. Feigning a pretty smile and honeyed words- promising himself to Erlang. All just to steal the Scroll of Memory from under Erlang's very nose and injure his eye in the process.

Using Erlang's- infatuation, against him to strike when least expected. All for what? To free his pathetic Brothers from the scroll, so they could rally to find the means to free this pathetic excuse of a King.

Erlang could never swallow the rage. The cut to his pride was unforgivable. He, who had dragged this so-called "King" to heaven to receive his punishment.

Despite being superior to Wukong in every way, Mihou was still lost to him. It angered Erlang to see him choose another, knowing he could offer the moon monkey everything and more. Stability, protection, a mate strong enough to give him whatever he desires.
It all should have been his! Even that little Flower of theirs should have been his own!

Wukong crouched low in front of Mihou, his body taut with coiled strength, ready to spring into action at any moment. His fur bristled and his teeth bared, a fierce and intimidating sight. He studied Erlang's gaze intently, recognizing the hungry desire within it that threatened his Mate's safety. Wukong would sooner face certain death than allow Erlang to take what he desired from Mihou.

"What do you really want, Erlang?" Wukong demanded, his voice low and dangerous. The only reason he hadn't removed Erlang already was due to their tenuous treaty with the Jade Emperor.

Erlang's smile widened, the glint of malice in his eyes unmistakable. "Oh, just an inquiry," he replied casually, though his tone was anything but friendly. He lifted the scroll he had produced, rolling it towards the two simians.

The two dare not touch it. Whatever Erlang wanted, they saw no reason to be part of it. "Whatever nonsense the Jade Emperor sent you on-" Mihou began, cut of when Erlang sneered.

"Not from him. I simply came across some interesting information and wanted to confirm." He stood with his arms crossed behind his back, admiring the serene and calm beauty of the mountain, "Sure is quiet around here. truly, I can't understand how you aren't dying of boredom." he sighs. He eyes flickered to a few curious eyes peering at them from the tree lines. "I'm surprised that Little Flower of yours also didn't come out to greet me. Unless you are keeping the boy under lock and key? Xiaotian was it?"

"You keep his name out of your mouth." Wukong seethed.

Erlang let out a low, grating chuckle that scraped on Wukong's nerves like sandpaper, "Touchy, are we? I simply wanted to have a friendly chat with the boy. The future generation and your successor, is he not? To see how he's been faring under your... care." His gaze, three eyes open, lingered on Wukong's face, searching for any sign of weakness. But the Monkey King remained stoic, his expression unreadable.

Mihou stepped forward, his voice a low growl. "Xiaotian is none of your concern, Erlang. Leave him out of whatever twisted game you're playing."

Erlang chuckled, the sound dripping with condescension.

"Ah, well, a shame. I suppose you'll just have to tell him I asked after him. I sure would love to speak with him in person. I hear he's become quite the beauty- taking after his better half," his eyes lingered on Mihou.

Wukong's fur bristled in rage, but he forced himself to remain still.

Erlang was baiting him, he knew that much, but it didn't quell the red-hot fury coursing through his veins. Xiaotian was off-limits, especially to the likes of Erlang Shen. He would not give Erlang the satisfaction of knowing how his words affected him.

"If you've said your piece, then kindly leave, Erlang Shen. You're not welcome here."

The celestial turned away from the pair. In truth he had no real interest in the boy himself. All he cared for was the effect it would have on his parents should the little flower come into his possession., "I'm not here to cause any trouble... unless you give me a reason to, of course." He took a step forward, his dog snarling softly at his side. Erlang settled him with a pat to his head, "Shh shh," he soothed. Looking left, then right, he took in the appearance of the two "King's". "You know, you two certainly have looked better. Is this war getting to you?"

"Don't act like it hasn't affected your side as well," Macaque folded his arms.

"I am on no one's side," Erlang corrected. Erlang kept his eyes to the scroll he had tossed on the ground, giving a smile. Whatever question he seemed to want to ask, he found the answer to. He could sense Wukong's power was stretched thin, as was Macaque's. He could see it from just peering at them with his third eye. Undoubtedly put to clones, considering these two hadn't been seen on the battle front of the Witch's attack in weeks.

But their clones certainly had been spotted across the land. Now what other reason could that be for, he wondered? He simply had to see them himself to confirm.

He tried not to smirk too much- Not to give a giddy laugh to such a wonderful opportunity laid out before him. He gave a gracious bow, his actions puzzling to say the least. "Then I will excuse myself."

Wukong furrowed his brow, "That's it?" he was curious now what was so important on that scroll. Why Erlang didn't bother to just ask it himself. What was the man trying to do here??

Half tempted to snatch that scroll up and see what was the fuss, he waited until Erlang turned to leave. In a flash of light the man and his dog were gone, leaving the two King's puzzled and on edge.

"...I didn't like that," Mihou mumbled, leaning into Wukong's side.

Wukong nodded in agreement, his mind already racing with questions and suspicions. Erlang's visit had left a bitter taste in his mouth, a feeling of unease settling in his chest. He knew there was more to the heavenly general's cryptic words and actions than meets the eye.

Turning to Mihou, Wukong spoke in a low voice, "The guy has always had it out for the two of us. Wouldn't be surprised if he came here just to phsyc us out." The mention of Xiaotian had only added fuel to the fire burning within him.

Mihou nodded solemnly, "I wouldn't put it past him but..." he looked at the scroll. He could sense no magic or tampering with it. It was just regular paper. Deciding to see what Erlang had even brought it for, he snatched it with his tail to unravel.
Wukong was close to his side as the paper unfolded, revealing Erlang's crisp and pristine penmenship.

"Where oh where did your Little Flower go? Out in the world by himself? With no Baba or Daddy to protect him?"

Mihou sucked in a breath, feeling the ground crackle at his feet when Wukong's eyes flared with fury. They didn't need to say it out loud to understand what Erlang had come here for.

One way or another, Erlang had discovered Xiaotian was no longer on the mountain. Whether being told this information, or piecing it together by their actions, they weren't sure.

It was just a big game to him.

It was clear at some point this information would be leaked. It was impossible to continue their massive scale search without being discovered- but still...

The Jade Emperor's court knowing, even Erlang knowing that their boy was out there and on his own, made the child's life at risk. Erlang especially, seeking any form of vengeance he could get on the two, would be on the hunt for the Monkey Prince now.

"That son of a-!" Wukong roared, throwing his arm out to the side. A gust of wind came from the gesture, jostling the trees and making a few of the tribe scramble in a panic.

Mihou quickly grabbed onto Wukong's arm to steady him, his eyes wide with concern. His hand trembled as much as he tried to ease his Mate's worry, "We need to stay calm, Wukong," he urged, trying to diffuse the anger radiating off his husband. Even if his own ears trembled and his teethed gnarled with anger, they both had to stay calm.

Erlang...

If Erlang found Xiaotian he...

Taking a deep breath, Wukong slowly lowered his arm, the intensity in his gaze not diminishing. His mate was right of course- always was. "We can't let Erlang get to Xiaotian," Wukong stated firmly, his mind already racing with plans and countermeasures. "He's out there on his own, vulnerable and inexperienced. If Erlang finds him...

"We won't let that happen." Mihou snagged his chin. They knew the mortal realm far better than anyone up in the celestial plane. They had dozens scouring it's land. Erlang would not find their boy before they would.

Hand in hand, Wukong took a few calming breaths. His barred canines softened, his head slowly lowering to MIhou's shoulder. In turn, Macaque's hands wrapped around Wukong's back. They would find him. They had to find him.

They had so much they needed to say and apologize for. To do right, if Xiaotian allowed.

...And also to ground him for scaring them to their deaths, because Wukong has never felt so close to it until now.

"Is this how I was?" he mumbled.

Macaque hummed in thought, quietly saying, "I think your were worse in different ways. But, I do believe he gets this from you." he concluded, almost accused.

"Just me?" Wukong pouted.

"I'm in there a little. But this? 100% you."

Wukong let out a deep groan, releasing a heavy sigh. Just as they were about to turn and walk back inside, the rustling of nearby bushes caught their attention. They both quickly looked towards the source of the noise, their eyes widening as a familiar figure stumbled out from behind the foliage.

Xiaotian's clone, grasping a block, had followed them. It blinked at them, eyes wide and curious. A gold glint in it's gaze at it smiled and held up the block eagerly.

Wukong threw his arms down in defeat, "Even the clone doesn't do as he's told,"

Macaque turned to approach it, "I'm sure he was just lonely and worried," he insisted, gesturing for the clone to get close. "C'mere little one. Show me what you have."

The clone, who had stopped, eagerly ran forward to show Macaque his block. There was nothing especially interesting about it, just the same as any other block. Yet the clone seemed to deem this one as the best of the bunch.

With a gentle smile, Macaque squatted down just a little to the clone's eye level and examined the block with genuine interest. "Ah, this is a fine choice indeed," he praised, patting the clone's head lightly. The clone beamed with pride at the approval, its golden eyes sparkling with joy.

"...Hm?" Macaque reached out to grasp the Clone's chin. He tilted it's head, "Wukong?" he asked.

"Yes?" Wukong stuffed his hands into his pockets, trudging to join the two. His eyes were outward, staring into the distance like he might just see his son if he looked hard enough.

Macaque spoke quietly, "Did the clone always have gold eyes?"

Wukong turned his head. "No." he had deep purple, just like all of Xiaotian's clones did. Yet upon close examination, it was true. The clones's eyes glowed with a gold that matched Wukong's.

"What?"

————

The rhythmic drip of water echoed relentlessly off the damp, moss-covered stone walls of the sewers. Each drop seemed to magnify within the darkness, creating a haunting melody that filled the air with an eerie sensation. The clicking and scuffling of tiny feet could be heard in the shadows, their movements elusive yet ever-present. As they scurried and scattered about, their shadows danced and intertwined against the dimly lit walls.

Emerald eyes glimmered in the darkness as a voice sneered, "It's almost finished, My Queen."

Silhouetted against the dim light, a woman appeared from the shadows.

As they stepped into the moonlight, their long, dark hair cascaded down their back like a waterfall of midnight silk. They placed a spiked helmet upon their head, its sharp points glinting in the faint light.

"That's just what I like to hear," with a snap of sharpened fingers, bursts of lights emerged behind her, casting a shadow to her spidery form. "This city is going to kneel before their new Queen."