Chapter Text
Monkie Kid Universe
MK and his friends watched as Kai and his team boarded their giant cat while laughing and chatting, before the cat and its passengers vanished from sight.
With the excitement over, Tang finally felt he could turn his attention to his idol. "So, uh, M-Monkey King, can I ask a few-" he started to say, but the Monkey King was focused more on MK.
"Hey, kid, can I talk to you for a minute," he said, and before MK could respond, the monkey already had him on his cloud and flying off to somewhere more private, leaving Pigsy, Mei and Sandy confused, and Tang very disappointed.
For MK, all the warm fuzzy feelings from Kai's hug vanished in an instant.
'This is it,' MK couldn't help but think. 'This is where he tells me he chose the wrong successor.'
But the Monkey King instead flew them to what he seemed to deem a suitably private rooftop and brought them down to chat.
MK clutched the staff to him, wondering if this was the last time he was going to hold it.
Monkey King took a deep breath and sighed, looking like this wasn't a talk he wanted to have, but knew he had to anyway. "Look, kid," he started off. "I have a confession to make-"
"I'M SO SORRY! I KNOW YOU THINK YOU CHOSE WRONG, BUT I'LL BE BETTER I PROMISE!" MK blurted out, unable to contain it anymore.
Monkey King looked startled at his outburst. "Wait, what?" he said. "Chose wrong? I didn't choose wrong! Who told you that?" he asked incredulously.
That threw MK off as well. "Huh, so… you're not firing me as your successor?" he asked hopefully.
"Why would I do that?" asked the Monkey King. He then placed a hand on MK's shoulder, looked him firmly in the eye, and said, "Look, kid. I've never been wrong about anything in my life, least of all you. You're doing great as my successor. Don't ever think you aren't."
While it didn't pacify his anxieties entirely, MK still felt as though a huge weight had been taken off his shoulders. Letting out a huge sigh, he felt a few tears of relief build up in his eyes. "Heh, I know all your stories," he said wetly. "Pretty sure I can think of a few times you were wrong."
"That's a matter of opinion," said Monkey King with a dismissive wave of his hand. "I'm definitely not wrong about you, I'll tell you that much."
MK gave a small sniffle, but nodded and wiped his eyes. Then he looked confused, "Wait, if you're not firing me, what do you need to confess about?" he asked, remembering how this conversation had started.
The Monkey King scratched the back of his neck. "Yeah, about that," he said. "The truth is… I haven't really been on vacation this whole time."
MK blinked. "Wait, what?" he asked.
"I've been looking for something," Monkey King confessed. "At first it was information, but now I'm trying to find a weapon. I… just told you it was a vacation because I didn't want you worrying about things I'd rather keep you safe and away from." His eyes then hardened. "But if there's really a hit out on your head, then I'm running out of time faster than I thought. You nearly got handed over to her on a silver platter today."
MK, while not exactly happy his mentor hadn't been honest with him, was still somewhat relieved to hear the real reason he'd left. Seeking out a weapon to protect him was better than thinking the monkey just had better things to do than teach him. But still, "Her?" he asked, wondering if he was talking about who he thought he was.
Monkey King sighed. "Look, when Spider Queen attacked on New Year's, she didn't do it alone. She had help from another demon. A demon that is seriously bad news."
"Lady Bone Demon," said MK quietly.
Monkey King's head snapped around so fast hearing that MK was surprised it didn't go flying off his neck. "How did you know that?" he asked.
MK ducked his head and fiddled with the staff in his hands. "We've… met," he admitted.
He then yelped as his mentor suddenly pounced on him, sitting on his shoulders, and began checking him all over. "Hey!" MK yelped. "What are you doing?"
"Did she catch you? Hurt you?" asked the Monkey King in concern, searching him for injuries. "Dang it, this is what I wanted to avoid!"
"No, I'm okay," MK assured him. "I got away, but-"
Like every time he thought about those events since meeting the 'little girl' in the sewers, he froze and felt a chill down his spine as his vision flashed black and blue.
Monkey King, seeing this reaction, was not at all happy. "She's a manipulative witch," he said in disgust, hopping back off MK's shoulders to stand next to him. "She's the one who made you think I chose wrong, isn't she."
MK wincing at that was answer enough.
Monkey King let out another sigh. "I didn't," he assured him. "Picking you, I've never been more right."
MK gave him a shaky smile. Then he looked determined. "So did you find a weapon to beat her?" he asked.
Monkey King shook his head and reached into his shirt to pull out a scroll.
MK took the scroll and saw that it was apparently a map. Or more accurately, half of a map, and the scroll ended ripped where more clearly should have been.
"I'm close," Monkey King said. "I found half of the map to it. But I need more time to get the other half, and then actually find the thing."
"Can I help?" asked MK eagerly, but Monkey King looked less than enthused and shook his head.
"I left you here to keep you out of danger, and that still goes for this," he replied. "Heck, just getting the other half of the map is going to be hard even for me to handle, and you've got this little thing called mortality putting a damper on things."
MK looked at him, hurt. "You don't want me to help?" he asked.
"I don't want you to die," Monkey King replied bluntly.
MK blinked in surprise and fell quiet. "So you have to leave again," he said in disappointment.
Seeing this, Monkey King patted him on the back. "Hey, I'll be back in a jiff. I just need you to wait a little longer for me, okay?"
MK nodded slowly, but still didn't look happy. "I just- I feel useless waiting here," he admitted. "Sure, I've been training, but it never feels like enough."
"Useless?" asked Monkey King, like he couldn't fathom how MK could think that. "I'm counting on you to protect this city. I'd say that's pretty important, bud. How many evil plots have you handled since I've been gone? How messed up would this place be by now if you'd come with me?"
MK stopped to think for a minute as his adventures so far flashed through his memories, and he had to admit Monkey King had a point there. "Crushed under a giant dumpling, at least," he said. He then looked confused. "Was that really you messing around with your old friends?"
Monkey King chuckled, "More like an interrogation that got a little out of hand."
"That somehow makes more sense," said MK.
The two laughed a bit. Before sobering. "Are you going again now?" asked MK.
"I should," Monkey King replied, looking like he'd rather not. "The faster I get this done, the faster I get back, and the less likely she'll be able to make her move before I can."
He then frowned at his student. "But if there's one thing this mess made clear, it's that she's after you. You need to be careful going forward and do not face her alone. Don't face her at all until I get back if you can help it."
MK wilted, and the Monkey King quickly added, "It's not that you're not good enough, it's that even I need to seek out a special weapon to stop her, and I'm me! It's too dangerous for you right now."
MK nodded slowly. "I won't face her alone," he agreed. He then grimaced and added, "I'd really rather not anyway. She's…" he trailed off, trying to find the right words.
"Scary beyond all reason," Monkey King offered.
"That sounds about right," MK agreed.
"You gonna be okay?" asked Monkey King.
MK took a deep breath, resolved himself, and nodded firmly. "I'll be alright, and I've got my friends helping me." He then held up the communicator Kai had given him. "Besides, I have more backup now."
"I could see Lady Bone Demon having some trouble with that cat of theirs," said Monkey King speculatively. "Definitely keep them as a Plan B, and call them if you need the help."
"Yeah," MK agreed. "Maybe I can even get Kai to teach me that spinning move you were impressed by."
"That would be something," said Monkey King, jumping up onto his cloud as he got ready to depart. "Especially since I never learned it."
MK smiled sadly that he had to go. "See you around."
"I'll be back before you know it," said Monkey King, giving a mock salute. "Monkey King out!" And with that, he flew off on his cloud and was over the horizon before MK could even blink.
MK watched him go until a buzz caught his attention.
Looking down at the communicator still in his hands, he saw he had a new notification in a group chat. Opening it, he saw a selfie of Kai and his friends with a city he didn't recognize in the background.
Buddy Kai: Made it home safe. And we got a new guy in the chat. (BTW, will get more coms to your friends too if they want them.)
Spike Kai: We do? Who?
Buddy Kai: Show him, MK.
MK smiled and took a quick selfie of himself and sent it. The chat immediately went wild.
Spike Kai: VERIJWFNINVJIW!
Cliff Cole: And Kai just spat his tea all over me. Thanks.
Pep Zane: LOL, RIP.
Lil'Loyd: Whoa! Another Kai! Awesome!
DJ Cole: Also, the Wus were apparently named after a monkey.
Zen Zane: I'm sorry, they were what?
Luh-Loyd: Do NOT tell my dad! He'll never let Uncle Wu live it down.
Nick Jay: Oh! What am I like over there? What's the Nya like? Is she hot?
Cyan Nya: Nick!
Red Nya: Jay!
Nick Jay: What?
Freckles Jay: You don't just ask things like that.
Nick Jay: Oh shoot, how do I delete this?
MK laughed as the messages kept coming.
He got the feeling he was going to like these guys.
Cloud Kingdom
In the Cloud Kingdom, a scribe found his quill would no longer dictate events, so he tossed it aside and threw his hands up in disgust. "Those stupid Ninja did it again!" he shouted.
Immediately, all the monks in his vicinity let out loud groans.
Taking deep breaths to force himself to stay calm, Master Writer Fenwick walked over to the distressed scribe. "Whose destiny did they send off the rails this time?" he asked.
"That of the Monkie Kid," said the scribe, gesturing to the scroll "The changes are small but significant. It is difficult to say just how much destiny has been altered, but there is little doubt the ripples caused by their interference will grow as time progresses. Especially if they remain in contact."
Fenwick's face took on the expression of someone who was screaming on the inside. Taking another deep breath to keep his voice even, he said, "Well, do with them as we do to the rest of the realms affected by the Ninja's machinations. Monitor and record the events going forward." He then sighed in defeat and added, "That is all we can really do."
The scribe grumbled but had to agree.
Destiny going forward would not be the same.