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“Have you been running around with other mentors?!”
“Patience and focus. Isn’t that what you said?”
“Look, kid, using that much power? Your body can’t handle it.”
“You just don't like that there's someone who's actually teaching me what I need to know!”
Wukong paces around Shuilian Cave. That move MK had used, it was the move he’d used before- but it was different. More aggressive, and frighteningly familiar.
The whole “other mentors” thing isn’t really a big issue to Wukong. He wants to spend more time with his the kid, sure, but that isn’t the problem. The problem is that the last time Wukong had seen anyone fight with that much anger, it hadn’t ended well- and the symbol on the back of MK’s jacket is uncomfortably familiar as well. It’s darker, more sinister, and all of this points to an old acquaintance Wukong would rather have stayed in the past.
He sighs, looking out at the waterfall. “MK should have been here for training by now,” he tells a passing monkey. “Sure, they’ve been spending more time with- with another person, but they still check in with me.”
The monkey chatters nervously.
Wukong shakes his head. “No way, the kid’s too smart for that. They wouldn’t fall for his tricks-“
Another chatter, more insistent, followed by a grunt.
Wukong scowls. “I’m still the Monkey King, you know. If something's wrong with my k- my successor, I think I’d know all about it.”
The monkey shrieks.
Wukong’s expression changes to one of worry. “Okay, if you’re sure, I’ll check in on him.” He closes his eyes briefly, activating his Golden Eyes of Truth, then scans the area.
There! In those mountains!
He withdraws, the magical golden glow fading from his eyes to be replaced by a less magical glow of rage. “Of course you’re right,” he snarls to the monkey. “I hate it when you’re right. He’s back, and I’ve been ignoring it, and now he’s using my kid to get to me.”
He summons his cloud and speeds away.
“How could I have been such a fool,” Wukong spits out, dodging a flock of ducks. “I should have seen it! What kind of a mentor am I?!”
He’d been too preoccupied with jealousy, that was it. He was so afraid that MK was spending time with someone who wasn’t him that he completely ignored the very clear signs that Macaque had returned.
“C’mon, faster,” he urges the cloud. He activates the Golden Eyes again, desperately searching for either of them, and then-
“-you’re just some kid with a heavy stick.”
Macaque had MK.
Dissolving the cloud with a flick of his tail, the furious Monkey King lets himself fall through the sky towards the two.
“ENOUGH!!”
With a shout, he lands between MK and Macaque, shoving the other demon backwards.
“Monkey King!” MK gasps, obviously relieved.
Wukong spares a glance over his shoulder to glare at the kid. They’d have to have a talk about this later, but for now he’s just glad his kid- no, the kid- was okay. Even if he is currently pinned to the rock by the staff- ooh, that could be a problem.
Now back to why he was here-
“Monkey King,” Macaque greets him mockingly. “It’s good to see ya, bud!”
Wukong growls. “Are you ever going to get sick of living in my shadow? It’s time to give back what you stole.”
Macaque laughs. “You are such a gem!” He begins to glow, the ground cracking from the force of it. “It’s gonna be so satisfying killing you with your own powers.”
The next few minutes are a blur of purple shadows, golden smoke, and several toppled mountains. It’s fast, and furious, and filled with anger on both sides, but Wukong barely holds himself back with the thought of MK.
MK?!
Shocked, the Monkey King pulls his punch back just in time… for “MK” to grin evilly and turn back into Macaque. The next moment, Wukong finds himself flying backwards through several mountains and slamming into a cliff. He readies himself to jump back into the fight, but he doesn’t get very far before he feels a grip on his leg. It’s one of Macaque’s shadow clones, trying to shove him down. No time to destroy it-
Then another latches onto his other leg, then his arm, and he’s dragged to the earth. More and more pile on, shoving him down into the dirt. He sees “MK” again, who turns into Macaque laughing at him, and struggles against the clones, baring his teeth in a snarl-
“Aaaaahhh!!”
His head snaps up in horror. “Kid!!!”
With a roar, Wukong blasts the clones into oblivion, then summons his cloud again and speeds towards the giant smoke monster. He can see Macaque inside, grinning as he pulls his fist back. The smoke monster, several times bigger, mirrors the movement, and Wukong’s heart nearly breaks to see his kid so terrified.
With seconds to spare, he shoots down and places himself between the monster and his kid, successfully blocking the punch. It seems Macaque has gotten stronger with the added power.
“Come on,” goads Macaque. “Show me the real Sun Wukong! The old you would have leveled this whole mountain range to stop me, but you're scared of hurting some kid? Pathetic!”
Pathetic or not, it’s true, and the monkey had been right- he’s gotten attached. He would have leveled the mountain range back in his younger years, but he is afraid of hurting MK. Like it or not, he’s come to think of the kid as his kid. He doesn’t want anything to happen to him.
“Kid!” Wukong manages from behind clenched teeth. “We’re definitely going to have words later, but it’s time for the hero stuff!”
Risking a glance over his shoulder, he sees his staff sparking in the kid’s grip. The power grows, and Wukong increases the pressure. Just a little longer- he just needs to keep Macaque stationary for a little longer- come on kid-!
In a move that makes Wukong proud, the young man flawlessly executes the Monkey King’s move from earlier. The staff spins around and around, flying up and up until it penetrates the smoke monster. There’s a blast of white light, followed by a powerful explosion. Wukong likes explosions, and he would be content to sit and watch it like he does the fireworks on Lunar New Year’s, except that MK’s still mortal.
Oh gods MK-
Wukong frantically jumps up, sprinting towards the kid and holding them tight. He feels the heat of the explosion on his back, and hears several bits of rock and debris fly past them, but when the smoke clears they’re both unharmed. Macaque has vanished.
Later, they’re both sitting on the clifftop overlooking the valley. It’s a beautiful view, but Wukong doesn’t care. “You did it, bud,” he exclaims. “You remembered what I told you!”
MK doesn’t seem as excited, and they look down. “I’m sorry,” they say.
Wukong remembers that he’s supposed to be angry. “Oh, oh, you totally should be. I can't believe you two-timed me on your training-!”
MK looks up, a pleading look on their face. “I just wanted to be good enough,” they say. “Like you.”
Oh-
Okay, this is fine, he’s the Monkey King he can handle this-
Except that this is exactly how Wukong was when he was young. Eager to learn, to be the best, to be good enough for everyone else.
He can’t stay mad, he finds, and lets out a sigh. “Hey, your heart’s in the right place, kid. We can work on the rest.”
“So you’ll keep training me?”
Wukong smiles. “Of course, bud.” An idea comes to him, and he continues, “I’ve got something special in mind.”