Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

For the longest time, I was alone. 

Locked, in an empty space. 

Floating in an endless void.

With only a single reminder of my enemy.

Few strands of hair, floating innocently in front of me.

Mocking me.

Reminding me that I had lost.

That I had failed.

I was vengeful.

Angry.

Lonely.

As time passed, I found my rage becoming less and less each day. Each year. 

By the time two-hundred years had gone by, I was…desperate.

Yes, the rage had long subsided, but as it lessened, the loneliness greatly increased. 

I couldn’t bear spending any more time alone. I couldn’t. I knew that the thirst for revenge, for destruction, and the anger that I had would have come back. I needed to take action. 

So I did. 

I’d always been capable of extracting power from entities and living beings, anything that contained some form of magic. 

I needed to create something. Someone. Someone who would listen, who would understand. 

I gathered as much magic as I could in my hands. 

Then stopped. 

My enemy had made sure I wouldn’t be able to escape my prison without someone’s help. I had no doubts that Lin Tao would have never betrayed me, but my tomb could only be opened by someone without my powers. I needed a voluntary party for this. 

Sure, I could have made someone with my powers. But then my magic couldn’t have been able to escape this void. I needed something to mask it. A vessel of sorts.

Copper strands floated in front of my eyes, reminding me that I wasn’t technically alone in this void.

My enemy had made a grave mistake. They’d given me access to their magic. 

I took the copper strands of hair, extracting all of its magic until the strand itself disappeared, swirling the golden magic around my own. 

I had a cover.

Now I needed a way out. 

My eyes drifted towards the black strands floating just a couple of metres away. I took them and repeated the process.

This magic was more difficult to bend to my will, it felt almost sentient. Nonetheless, it quickly submitted itself to me and I wrapped it around the other one. 

Glowing purple and gold swirled around my blue magic in harmony. 

I lifted my hands and let the magic out, hoping, praying, that the gods would be merciful. 

As the Ivory lady floated alone in the endless void, the swirls of coloured magic made their way out of the tomb and through the ground until they reached the blue sky. 

Swirling over the clouds they twirled around a lotus flower, coming to a halt when a delicate hand waved them over, twisting the magic between its fingers. 

“What do we have here?” 

Said the goddess, observing the coloured swirls twirling on her hand.

“A desperate attempt for comfort,” she murmured, tilting her head. “A plea for forgiveness.”

With a smile, she waved her hand once again, leading the magic down to earth once again. 

“Let’s grant her wish. I’m sure she has done enough reflecting, don’t you think, Moksa?” 

The other looked at her, sighing. “If you think so, who am I to tell you no, divine Guanyin?” 

The goddess laughed, throwing one last glance at the swirling magic. “She deserves a second chance. It’s been enough time.”

And with that last confirmation, she turned back to her maidens. 

The magic flew around the small city, searching for a compatible host until it arrived at a small, wooden building. Children were running around in the old garden, watched by a single adult. The swirls zoomed towards the new host, a curious-looking rock in one of the corners of the garden. As magic seeped into the rock, swirls and spirals carved themselves into it under the shocked eyes of the young woman. 

Ushering the children back inside she walked cautiously towards the rock, which sat there innocently. She could feel the powerful magic coming from it in waves as if it was a beating heart. 

She hummed, going back inside. 

From that day, she kept an eye on the mysterious rock, checking on it every now and then. Whenever she stepped foot in the garden her eyes would not leave the weird object. 

And like that, she went on for years. 

Decades went by. Moss had grown over the rock, tall grass hiding it. The wooden building was old, rotting away, like its owner. Only a few children remained in it. No more laughter coming from the place. 

The woman was not alone though.

Two more women lived there, younger and prettier than her. Full of energy. But with bitter, bitter hearts. 

They left the garden to grow and die on its own, convincing the caring woman to leave it be, as “it would just be a distraction for the rowdy children,” they said. 

Soft steps echoed through the old garden, muffled by the moss and grass that covered the ground completely. Leaning on her cane, the old woman let her tired gaze drift one last time towards the rock. With a sigh she knelt down to it, pulling some moss off of it. 

To her surprise, the rock felt smooth to the touch, as if it’d been cared for every day, even though she’d warded off the children and made sure no one would go near it in case it was something bad. 

She gasped and immediately lifted her hand off the rock. She’d felt a pulse. Like a child, kicking its mother’s womb. Like something was trying to get out.

Her eyes widened as the carvings on the rock started glowing in different colours. They went from blue to purple to gold, growing brighter and brighter by the second, until cracks began to appear on the surface. The woman shielded her eyes, turning her head to not be blinded by the light as the rock cracked completely. 

Once the light subsided she blinked, slowly turning her head back to the rock…that wasn’t a rock anymore.

She blinked slowly, eyes never leaving the figure that sat on the ground. Two sets of ears twitched, insides glowing bright blue and purple. A pair of golden eyes stared at the old woman, who stood there in silent shock. 

She stared at the tiny white monkey, falling to her knees. With a chirp, the cub tilted its head, blinking in confusion. The woman exhaled, rubbing the bridge of her nose. 

“Sixty years and I just had to touch it.”

The monkey chirped, pulling on her cardigan. With a hum, she patted the monkey’s head, smiling fondly. 

“Let’s give you a name, shall we?” 

With an excited chirp, the little cub held onto the woman as she got up, leaning on her cane. 

“You came from a rock, like the Monkey King.” She observed, the little monkey letting out a tiny “hoo” and following her gaze. 

“How about MK? As in Monkie Kid?” 

The monkey blinked, before smiling and nodding enthusiastically, tail swishing in excitement. The old woman smiled and looked at the cub.

“Well then, MK. Let’s get you something to eat.”

Chapter Text

I don’t know how much time has passed since then. 

I waited for decades, maybe even a century. 

I was starting to lose hope. 

Until one faithful day.

“Hello?”

Bai startled as an unfamiliar voice interrupted the eternal silence in that empty void. She swirled around, looking for the source of the sound. 

Her eyes landed on a small child, wearing an old, oversized shirt. They looked curious, taking in the empty space before them. 

Bai gently let her feet touch the ground, tilting her head towards the intruder, her hair following her movements. 

“Hello.”

The child turned around, looking at her. He gasped, eyes lighting up as he ran towards her. Bai stared at the child in confusion. Could it be?

“Who are you?”

Smiling widely, the child gestured to himself. “I’m MK!” 

Bai titled her head. “MK?” He nodded happily, looking up at her. “It’s supposed to be an acronym for Monkie Kid!” Said the child excitedly. 

Blinking at the child– no, MK. Blinking at MK in surprise, she titled her head, ignoring the child’s surprised gaze as her hair floated around. 

“How did you get here?”

Turning his attention back to her, MK fiddled with his shirt. “I wished for my mom…” Her eyes widened. “You…” But before she could finish her sentence, the child had brightened again, going off on a tangent and asking a series of questions.

“You’re so pretty, miss! Are you a fairy? Or a goddess?” asked the curious child. “Do you live here? What’s your name? I already told you mine after all. Guardian said you always have to introduce yourself, it’s only polite!”

The demon started at him, blinking. 

“I’m from the orphanage down the street, it’s been there for a long time now, did you know?”

Destiny sent me a…child? 

Will he be my way out?

“Miss? Miss?” 

Shaking her head from her thoughts she looked back at the child, smiling slightly. It was better than nothing after all. She finally had company after so long, she couldn’t just snob him. 

“I’ve been called many names,” she explained. “White bone spirit, Lady bone demon, Ivory lady.” MK nodded, taking in the information. “You can call me Baigu,” she said with a smile, before continuing. “You said your name is short for Monkie Kid? Why is that?” 

“Guardian named me like that because she said I came out of a rock like the Monkey King!” 

Bai’s heart filled with rage at that familiar name, but it was quickly snuffed out when she realised something.

“You came out of a rock? Yet, you look human.” 

The child’s mood quickly darkened, eyes downcast. “I’m…not.” He fiddled with his shirt. “Guardian cast a spell on me so that the other children wouldn’t find more reasons to berate me.”

“And how do you know this?” 

“She used what energy she had left to protect me before she died. I know I’m not human. That’s for sure. My age doesn’t work like theirs.”

Bai hummed, kneeling on the ground and patting the spot next to her. MK quickly sat down and scooted a little bit closer.

“Apparently the rock was infused with magic when Guardian was twenty. And it broke after sixty years. I came out of it and Guardian named me MK.” Explained the child. “She took care of me for…” MK did a quick rundown of the years. “Another ten years before she passed away and the orphanage went into possession of the mean sisters.”

LBD nodded. So he was around ten. 

“And then…that’s when I started to realise I was not like the other kids. They had growth sprouts and became taller, and wider. They grew muscles and beards. They became adults. They left and I was still…me.” 

MK muttered the last part, bringing his knees to his chest. 

He’s lonely.

Like me.  

“Before I realised it, thirty years had passed. And I’m still like this! I still look eight!” He complained, tears building in his eyes. 

He came out of a rock. 

The rock was infused with magic. 

Could it be, he’s…

“I still hear Guardian’s voice sometimes. Telling me about the day I was born from the rock with the colours of the sky. She always said I was born with a purpose, but still didn’t know which…”

The child continued to talk, unaware that Bai wasn’t listening anymore. 

The colours of the sky.

Her memory went back to the golden and purple magic that swirled around her blue one. She smiled, turning to the child. That was it! She had created him. He was that magic she freed two centuries ago. 

“And now the kids keep bullying me saying no one wants me since I have no parents, so I went to sleep wishing to meet them and…well, I ended up here.” Finished the child, laying his cheek on his arms, looking at the woman. 

“And I know it’s a bit hard to believe-” “Oh, I believe you, child.” 

MK’s eyes lit up. “You do?” Bai smiled. “Of course. After all, I created you.” She said to the kid, folding her hands on her thighs. He lifted his head, staring at her. 

“You…what?!” Yelled the child with excitement. 

LBD nodded. “Yes, you see, I’m your–” “You’re my mom!?” Baigu stared at the child, blinking. She let a hesitant smile come on her face. “You could say that, yes.” 

MK crawled closer to her, eyes quickly saddening. “But then…why-why didn’t you want me? Was I not good enough? Or-or was I too much? A-and my dad? Did he leave us? Did, did he leave you because of me?” asked the child in a small voice. 

LBD let a hand comb through his hair, comforting the child. “No. It was nothing of the sorts,” she hummed, ruffling his hair. “It’s a long story, but I’m willing to explain everything to you if you’ll let me.” 

MK nuzzled her hand, nodding with a smile. 

She smiled back. 

“Alright, where do I start?”

Chapter Text

“And I realised the only way of achieving that was to start with a clean slate,” explained Bai to the enthralled child. He blinked, looking up at her with a curious face. 

Bai was confused. This child, her child, listened in complete silence for the whole duration of the story, only piping up to ask a few questions and yet, he still hadn’t screamed or yelled at her, saying she was a villain or that she deserved her fate. She hummed.

“And after I’d decided that, my enemy tried to stop me. Of course, he knew he wasn’t strong enough,” she said, puffing up with pride. She had probably been Wukong’s strongest opponent yet. “So, Sun Wukong ,” she spat, sneering with disdain. “Decided to call a… friend of his. His name was Liu’er Mihou. Also known as the Six-Eared Macaque–” “So there’s more than one Monkey sage?” Bai nodded.

“Macaque was one of his closest friends. If you can even call them friends .” She hinted, fighting a smile when her child gasped, giggling with his hands on his mouth. “Oh, come on now. The Monkey King had more escapades than you could ever imagine,” she mused, poking her son’s side with two fingers. MK laughed, waving away her hands. 

Oh, how she’d missed the sound of laughter. The void was always so silent. Full of judgment and mockery. The kid’s laughter echoed, innocent and happy in the lonely white space, ringing around like tiny bells. Taking one more look at her son , Baigu smiled, unconsciously scooting closer to him. 

When her child calmed down, he looked at her expectingly. She sighed. 

“The Monkey King and his companion fought me, ending up victorious. They locked me in a magical tomb, far away from the celestial realm. What they didn't know, is that during the fight I’d managed to rip off a few hairs from their bodies,” she told her son, waving a hand around until blue wisps of magic swirled around it, gaining an amazed ‘ooh’ from him. 

“I floated in this space for about two hundred years before…” she tilted her head in shame, “before the loneliness got worse and I used my magic in a…desperate attempt. I extracted the magic from their hair and mixed it with mine,” she explained, holding her hand closer to the child, letting him inspect her blue magic. “I let it out in hopes of it finding a good host. It did.” She tucked a lock of his hair behind his ear, smiling. “The magic found an ancient rock. One stable enough to support it. And from that rock, you were born,” she murmured, caressing his cheek. He nuzzled her hand with a smile. 

“My little sky. My freedom.” 

MK looked at her confused, blinking with wide eyes. She explained. 

“Once you get me out of here, I can make the perfect world I wanted, the perfect world we need.” 

Pulling away, MK frowned. Bai tilted her head, desperation clawing at her chest. “Don’t you want a perfect world? One without hunger? Without wars? Without sickness?” She insisted, scooting closer.

She couldn’t lose him. No. He was her way out. The only thing currently keeping her sane. If he started hating her…

“I don’t think you should do that, mom.”

She blinked. So he didn’t hate her yet.

“And why is that?”

MK blinked as if the reason was obvious. It clearly wasn’t. Starting from a clean slate would be the best option. 

“Because the world is changing.” 

Huh?

“Demons are getting citizenships, finding jobs, they’re stopping with the human eating…” he explained, looking at her. “In the forty years I was alive, a lot changed! People have started to develop new technologies, making getting food a lot easier. Some Bull King guy was sealed away in the mountain nearby like a century ago apparently and society has been developing quickly! ” 

He waved his hands, scooting closer. “If you try to destroy the world now, not only you’ll be seen as a villain and people will hate you and try to fight you, but all the knowledge that’s being created and spread is going to stop existing!” 

That was…a valid point. If technology was evolving, if demons were starting to co-exist with humans, destroying all the progress they were making would obviously be bad. She nodded in agreement, waving at him to continue. He smiled.

“Well, the demons are starting to live peacefully with the humans and society is developing. Don’t you think we should first see where all of this goes before deciding to destroy the world?” 

“You’re right.”

“Yeah and– I am?”

Bai laughed. 

“Yes. The world I wanted to destroy was different two hundred years ago. If it’s evolving, and becoming better, I’ll find another way to help the few people who need it. That is if it gets better.” 

MK nodded solemnly. “Of course, if they use the cool stuff to do bad things they deserved it.” He said seriously, crossing his arms. Bai smiled. “Exactly.”

“And now that I know you, we can live together! Like a family!”

Bai snorted, turning her head. “I think you’re forgetting that I’m here against my own will. I’m trapped, MK. You’ll have to free me first,” she said, looking at him. MK nodded, batting his fist in his open palm.

“Right, because you tried to destroy the world.”

Bai sputtered. “It was in good faith!” 

Her son laughed, nodding. “I know I know, I was joking! I’ll find a way to bring you back, mom.”

Bai looked at her son. He was her way out. Maybe if she managed to find Lin Tao, he could direct him to where her tomb was. If only she knew where he was. Everything would be so much easier. 

Her son was in an orphanage, unable to survive on his own and she had no way to help.

She’d heard him say the building was ruled by two “mean sisters”. He was clearly unhappy there. If only she had a way…

With a gasp, Bai got up, turning to her son. “I know who can help us!”

MK got back on his feet, tilting his head. “Who?” 

“Before I got trapped, I had a sworn sister. She still owes me a favour, she could take care of you while you try to free me!” 

Smiling widely, her son got closer. 

“Really?! Where can I find her? Who is she?” 

“She lives far away, but with your powers, the trip shouldn’t be too long. Her name is Tieshan Gongzhu.” MK blinked in confusion.

“She’s also known under the name of Princess Iron Fan.”

Chapter Text

“So once I get out of the orphanage and manage to find my way out of the small town, I’ll go towards her castle and then what??” MK crossed his arms, looking down.

“I mean, my name is MK, would she really believe someone named like your enemy’s son would be sent by you??”

Bai looked at the child who was nudging the invisible floor with his foot. She hummed, folding her hands. He was right. Not only did Iron Fan have a lot of guards, but she severely doubted she would believe a random child who came knocking at her doors insisting he’d sent her. I mean he didn’t even look like her. Or act like her.

And the name. Gods the name. Sure she was grateful for this… Guardian person for naming him but did they have to go for Monkie Kid??

With a sigh, Bai glanced at her son. He needed an actual name. 

“A rock with the colours of the sky”

“My little sky. My freedom”

“Qi Xiaotian.”

MK looked up, blinking in confusion. His mother smiled.

“Your name. It’s going to be Qi Xiaotian,” she explained, walking closer to him as his eyes widened. She lowered herself to look him in the eyes.

“You are and will always be my little sky, so I think Qi Xiaotian would be a good name for you, what do you think?”

Nodding furiously, Xiaotian threw himself in his mother’s arms, hugging her tightly with a smile.

A name. 

An actual name.

He was actually someone now! 

He had a name and a mother and powers– wait.

“I have magic powers?” He asked with a sniff, rubbing his eyes– no he wasn’t crying. He wasn’t.

Tilting her head, his mom nodded.

“Yes, of course. You have all of our powers mixed together. Which means you’ll have to learn how to use them well.”

Xiaotian nodded, sitting on the ground with his legs crossed and leaning forward to listen to his mother, who knelt on the ground before him. 

“I can obviously teach you how to control my powers since I already know how to use them, but for when the other two types start showing…” she grimaced. “I have no idea. I guess we’ll have to work together on that.”

Her son nodded, listening intently. 

“Now that I think about it, I’m curious as to why you don’t look more…demon-like. Did your guardian put a glamour on you to protect you or hide you?” 

Mk nodded. “Yes! Guardian said the kids could be very mean so she masked my appearance with a glamure! Glam-glamor? Glemour?” 

Snorting very elegantly, Bai watched her son struggle with the wording before correcting him, earning a grateful nod in response.

“Well, once you get more powerful we’ll work on removing the glamour. For now, let’s focus on something more important,” she said, bending down to his height and looking at him in the eyes. “When you tell Princess Iron Fan that I sent you, she’s probably going to ask for evidence which I won’t be able to give.”

Her son deflated at those words. Right.

His mom was in this floaty void-thing. She couldn’t get out. Even though he had a name now, it didn’t mean Princess Iron Fan would believe him.

“Meaning, I’ll have to teach you a bit of magic today.” 

Snapping his head up, Xiaotian smiled. “I’m gonna learn magic?!” 

Bai grinned. “Yes. The trick I’ll be teaching you is very simple, you should get it on the first few tries. What you’ll learn is how to subtly disperse a bit of your magic into the air around you. Who met me will immediately recognise my magic, it will basically be a way for me to vouch for you.”

“Oooh. So you’ll teach me how to do a creepy magic aura?” 

Baigu blinked. “Yes, basically.”

She didn’t giggle when her son bounced on his feet in excitement, flapping his hands around. She didn’t. If anyone said the opposite, they’re liars.

“And now, take a deep breath,” she murmured, quietly guiding her son through it. “And exhale, pushing the cold feeling forward.” 

She watched in silence as her son’s rigid posture relaxed immensely, temperature immediately dropping. She didn’t even know the temperature could change in here. 

Smiling proudly she clapped lightly, nodding in approval when MK opened his eyes and looked at her with a hopeful expression. 

“I did it!” 

“You did.”

“Now when she asks for proof I can just do this, right?”

“Indeed,” nodded Bai. Her son was practically vibrating with excitement, a determined expression on his face.

“Now onto the bigger problem!” He yelled enthusiastically, fist bumping the air. Bai tilted her head, confused. They’d solved the name, the powers, she’d told him the way and even more than one possible way to sneak out. What other problem could there be?

“How do I go back to the mortal realm?”

She blanked. 

Oh, my gods. Oh heavens.

She forgot the most important thing!

How to send her son back!

And she didn’t know!!!!

“I…” 

MK blinked, unaffected by her worried face. He tilted his head. “Do you think if I just ask to wake up I’ll wake up? I mean I am kinda dreaming after all, aren’t I?” 

His mother blinked at him before slowly nodding. “Yes…yes that could work. It’s worth a try.”

And hopefully, it worked because what if her son was stuck with her now? 

Stuck here together until one unlucky soul happened to find the tomb and manage to open it??

She watched as her son squeezed his eyes closed, stayed silent a few seconds and flickered. He gasped. 

“It’s working!” 

He looked up at her and smiled.

“Bye mom, I’ll see you later!” And with a golden flash, he was gone.

She fell to the ground, letting out a relieved sigh. Thank gods he wasn’t actually stuck. He could go in and out whenever he wanted.

Good.

“Bye, mom!”

Bai smiled. 

She could get used to that title.

Chapter Text

Blinking his eyes open, Xiaotian squinted at the bright light coming from the lamp. He sat up, recalling the previous events, a big smile making its way on his face.

He had a mom! He wasn’t abandoned! He was loved by someone! And he also had a name. 

He quickly got up, running his fingers through his messy hair and taking his red bandana, tying it on to keep the hair out of his face. He looked a bit silly, sure, the bandana pulled back all his front hair, exposing his forehead, but he liked it that way.

Throwing on some sandals he walked out of the empty room, stealing a glance at the clock while he made his way downstairs. 

It was past midday, meaning he’d slept in. Hopefully, he’d be able to sneak past the mean sisters and get some food for the trip.

He tip-toed towards the kitchen, avoiding the creaky tiles and looking around. Opening the lower cupboards he stuck his hand in, quickly snatching some bread and cheese and putting it in a bag along with a couple of napkins. That would be enough, right?

Taking a deep breath, Xiaotian adjusted the bag on his hip, opened the back door and snuck out through the garden. 

The tall grass muffled his steps, making his escape go unnoticed by the yelling kids who were playing on the other side of the building. Quickly climbing the fence he hopped down, releasing a breath he didn’t know he was holding.

He was officially out. 

No more sneaking around, no more mean sisters, no more hiding from the kids or scraping his knees to clean the old, ruined floors. No more stealing crumbs and bits of food to not starve, no more climbing the trees to escape the beatings. 

With a watery sigh, he made his way to the big sign that welcomed people in the city. He looked around, searching for a tall spot where he could map out the area before his eyes landed on a tall, tall tree. It was the eucalyptus tree he’d always dreamt of climbing.

He’d been always able to see it from the second floor of the orphanage and sometimes he liked to stare at it and imagine he was a bird, flying away from that horrible place. 

With a determined look, Xiaotian gripped tighter the strap of his bag, walking towards the tree, passing unnoticed by the villagers who had better things to do than watch an orphan climb a tree.

The tree didn’t have many branches at the base, but it was sturdy, perfect to keep a good grip on it. He bent his knees, ready to jump, and pushed. 

The world spun around, open-air immediately greeting him as he looked down. He was so high up! Even higher than the tree!

He clutched his bag closer to his chest, screaming as he started to fall down. He took a big breath, closing his eyes and branching himself for the impact and immediate death. 

“I’m sorry mom, I won’t be able to help you!”

A melodic sound echoed in his ears, sounding almost amused. 

“Foolish child. We would never let a son of the earth die,” said the melody. It was fresh and airy.

Wind. 

The wind had talked to him. His eyes fluttered open, the blinding sun immediately greeting him with a joyful sparkle. The wind laughed as his feet slowly landed on the sturdy branches of the tree. He put a hand on the trunk, beaming when he felt a sweet hum coming from it. 

The nature around him was alive. Sentient.

He exhaled, body slugging with relief as he realised he was alive, a few tears falling down as the adrenaline rush lowered. 

He hugged the tree, smiling as he caressed the trunk. 

“Thank you, thank you,” he murmured to the plant, leaves brushing on his face in an attempt at comfort. “How could I ever repay you?” 

Xiaotian glanced at the tree as the higher branches lowered themselves to lift him. 

“We could never ask payment from a child of nature,” whispered the wind. Looking around, Xiaotian gasped. He could see the whole town, even outside of it. Chatter reached his ears and he closed his eyes, taking in everything. He could hear the carriages pulling, the merchants hollering over new clients. The housewives bickering and the children playing, the workers making new houses. 

Hammers, horses, ships, toys. 

He blinked, staring at the city as it came alive under his gaze. He was aware of every person walking through the streets, the thief a few hills down that was running away, the alley cat near the school, meowing for food. The pots of colourful flowers hanging from the windows of the wooden houses near the orphanage clinking together, the earth humming with satisfaction as the gardener from the library watered the plants.

Giggles arose from the child, eyes sparkling with love and admiration. 

The wind laughed with him, happy to share such symphonies with someone who would finally appreciate them. 

“I love the earth.”

The wind agreed. 

He let out a little gasp as the branch turned around, facing the plains. 

“The place I need to go to…it’s that way?” Asked the child as the tree gently let him down, humming approvingly. Xiaotian smiled. 

“Thank you!” 

He hugged the tree one last time, before scurrying towards the exit of the ever-expanding city. He didn’t notice the red blossoms that sprouted on that tree for the first time in hundreds of years, the leaves rustling with happiness.

Following the beaten path down the plains, Xiaotian clutched his bag as the vegetation became less and less by the minute. 

Finding himself in a hot desert after less than twenty minutes, the kid sighed, using a hand to shield himself from the sun. 

He sped up his walk, hissing when his feet touched the hot sand. His sandals couldn’t do much to protect them. 

Xiaotian walked silently under the hot sun, listening intently for the tiniest sound, munching on a piece of cheese. The sun slowly went down as he made his way through the silent dunes, sighing with relief as the last rays of sun peeked through the sandy hills, giving one last glimmer before disappearing completely. 

Sitting down on the sand, MK took a  deep breath, rubbing one of his eyes and humming contently as the scalding sand began to cool down under the darkening sky. 

Staring at the first stars of the night, Xiaotian smiled, scarfing down some bread and rubbing his burnt arms with a hiss. It had only been one day and he’d already gotten burned, finished half of his rations and had no place to sleep.

He should have thought this better.

“The night is cool and calm…if I keep walking all night I might reach an oasis or at least find some more food or water…” 

With a determined grin, MK got up, fixed the bag back on his shoulder and shook the sand off his hair and sandals, resuming his trip. 

He found that the sand was way more pleasant at night as it was cold and soft, so he took off his sandals and hooked them to his bag, walking at an adequate speed now that his feet felt much better. 

Following the direction where the sun had set, MK found himself walking in pleasant silence for the whole night, even finding a bush with big leaves at one point. He took some of the leaves that had fallen down and used some strips from his ruined shirt to tie them together, making himself a little hat to shield his face from the soon-to-be rising sun. 

He glanced at the yellow berries growing on the bush, wondering if they were edible, and knelt near the plant, sinking his hands into the leaves. 

“Hi,” murmured the child, hesitation lacing his voice. 

The leaves rustled with a pleased hum, greeting the child back. 

“Eat, son of nature. Use my fruits to get your energies back, a long trip awaits you, child.” 

MK beamed, thanking the bush and filling his bag with the berries.

“How can I repay you?”

“The sun is warm and dry, child. If only I had water to quench my thirst, I would feel much better and blossom much quicker,” hummed the bush.

MK thought for a second, before crossing his legs and closing his eyes, informing the plant that he needed a minute to concentrate. Silence fell upon the two until a cold breeze surrounded him, blue shards growing at the plant’s roots. 

Opening his eyes once again, MK smiled.

“I know it’s ice right now, but mom explained to me that until I get more powerful my ice will melt. So once the sun rises again it will melt and you’ll have water!”

The berry bush hummed with satisfaction and Xiaotian bid it goodbye, resuming his trip. 

The moon was high in the sky, casting a soft light over the light dunes, making them look a nice, pearly white. MK kept walking, biting into one of the golden berries, gasping in delight when the fresh juice filled his mouth. He popped the whole berry in his mouth, munching happily on the sweet fruit. 

He ate a second one and a third one and so on until he closed the bag with a satisfied hum, patting his tummy, a smile on his face. He’d eaten barely a dozen berries but he already felt full. He felt his energy coming back and his burns hurt less and less by the minute.

Walking with a pep in his step, Xiaotian used his newfound energy to speed up the trip, having run at least two more miles before the moon went down. 

As the first rays of sunlight hit his back, Xiaotian smiled to himself, putting his sandals back on and fixing his hat on his head in a way that would cover his nape too. He clutched his arms and bag close to his chest, marching down the desert without interruption and by the time the sun was high up in the sky, MK saw the first signs of vegetation.

Chapter Text

Sprinting towards the trees, Xiaotian looked around with a smile, leaning on one of the trunks and resting under the cool shadows. He walked further into the jungle, keeping an eye out for any insects or dangerous plants. He jumped on a tree, climbing its trunk until he reached the top and looked around, frowning. The jungle was deep, spreading out as far as he could see, surrounding the base of what seemed to be just hints of a mountain far far away. 

He hopped down, fixed up his bag and took a deep breath. 

No one said the trip would be easy. 

He knew it would take more than just three days to reach an isolated castle. 

But it was alright. He had food, cover from the sun, and now that he was in a jungle he could look for a water source to not die of thirst!

Walking around with his newfound confidence, little Xiaotian didn’t stop until the sun was setting once again and the shadows were growing bigger in the vast jungle. 

Stopping in his tracks, Xiaotian gripped the bag strap, gulping. The jungle was not like the desert. 

It was dark, unknown. 

He couldn’t see what was ahead or behind him. 

Anything could be hiding in the shadows, from insects to ill-intended people. 

Walking near a tree, he laid a hand on its trunk, wanting to ask for shelter until the leaves behind him rustled. 

His head whipped around, eyes widening when he met two pairs of glowing eyes– no, wait, three– four– five–

Six. 

Six pairs of glowing eyes. A snapping sound echoed through the air, the eyes blinking down at the now trembling child. As the creature stepped into the light, Xiaotian stepped back, eyeing the giant scorpion. 

The animal snapped its claws, stinger up and ready to strike until–

“Xie, my darling where have you gone now?”

The scorpion stopped, turning towards the voice, the child mimicking the animal. 

Xiaotian looked at the…person? As she came into view, flipping her green hair behind her shoulder. 

“There you are, my love! I told you to not wander off at night, darling,” cooed the woman, scratching the scorpion’s face. 

Xiaotian took the change to get a better look at her. She had a long purple dress and golden accessories. Her green hair was halfway up in a purple hat, while the rest was flowing down her back, tied in different sections to resemble a scorpion tail.

“Did you find a new playmate? I’m sure they’re….” 

The woman trailed off, finally noticing Xiaotian. The scorpion nudged her legs– legs?

MK’s eyes widened, the scorpion was huge and yet it barely reached her waist. 

“Ohhhh!” 

He flinched when the woman exclaimed in delight. She ran towards him, taking his little face in her hands. 

“Oh aren’t you just the most adorable thing!” 

Alright well, he wasn’t gonna get eaten. Good. 

No need to freak out.

“Do you have parents? What are you doing in my jungle all alone!” She questioned as she examined him, looking for any bruises or cuts. Xiaotian pried her hands off his face, and looked at her, opening his mouth to explain, only to be immediately interrupted by her.

“Oh, you’re so tiny and cute!” 

She engulfed him in a hug and got up, holding onto the child. 

“You’re coming home with me!” 

Okay, freaking out!

He flailed around, lifting his head and hopping down from her embrace. 

“I have a mom!” He yelled panting in distress at her confused face. 

She pouted, crossing her arms. “Dammit.” Glancing back at him, she raised an eyebrow in confusion. “Why are you in a jungle, then? It’s dark and dangerous out here! Especially for a child! Won’t your mother be worried, little one?”

The scorpion snapped its claws a few times, looking up at its owner. “Looking for something, hmm?” She said after listening to her…pet. 

Xiaotian nodded, fixing himself up.

“My name is Qi Xiaotian, I’m looking for Princess Iron Fan,” he said with confidence. The woman beamed, clapping her hands. “I know where she lives! I can bring you there!” Ruffling his hair, she hopped on her scorpion, patting the space behind her. Xiaotian frowned. 

A minute of silence followed before the woman gasped in realisation, clapping her hands together. 

“Right! Introductions!” She grimaced. “Apologies, it seems after years of living alone I forgot the basics of common decency,” she apologised, earning a slight smile from the child. 

“My name is Xie Zi Jing, but you can call me Scorpion Queen! This is my lovely pet Du Xie, he’s a sweetheart, don’t worry!” She finished, patting the scorpion who snapped his pincers happily. 

Xiaotian nodded, hopping on the scorpion and looking up at the woman. 

She smiled, patting his head and signalling the arachnid to start walking. 

After a few minutes of silence, Scorpion Queen spoke up. 

“So what business do you have with my grumpy neighbour, little one?” 

Xiaotian blinked, rubbing his eyes for a second before looking up at her. “Mother said she can take care of me since they’re sworn sisters,” mumbled the kid, leaning on her hip. Scorpion Queen nodded, subconsciously laying a hand on the child’s head, running her fingers through his hair. 

“Then hopefully you’ll be able to bring some joy back into her life,” she said gently. “Iron Fan has been heartbroken for the past month, you know? That idiot Monkey King sealed away her husband. Now she’s taking care of her son alone with her ward.”

She waited a couple of minutes, blinking in confusion when no answer came. She turned around, eyes widening when they landed on the sleeping child cuddled up to her. 

She cooed, caressing his head gently. She stared at Xiaotian, carefully taking in every detail to make sure she would forever remember this scene. 

“Sleep well, son of nature. We’ll bring you there in no time.”

Chapter Text

Looking up at the huge doors, the two figures prepared themselves for the meeting. 

Scorpion queen looked at the child, who now reached her elbows, having shrunk down to communicate with him better. Running a hand through his fluffy hair, she smiled encouragingly. 

“Ready?”

MK bit his lip, grabbing and pulling on his bag strap for the millionth time. He glanced at her, looking for reassurance. 

“Kinda.”

“Why the long face, sweetie?” Asked the woman, tilting her head to look at the kid. He started swinging back and forth on his heels, twisting the bag strap.

“Well, what if she doesn’t believe me?” He asked, fear lacing his voice. Scorpion Queen hummed, fixing some of his wild locks. “You said she’s your aunt, right?” She smiled. “Why wouldn’t she believe you?”

MK grimaced, looking down at the volcanic rock. His companion caressed his cheek, trying to comfort him. 

“Surely, she will see some resemblance with her sister, little one?”

Eyes widening with guilt, the child hesitated.

“Uhm…well, kind of?

She raised an eyebrow. “Kind of?” 

Nodding his head, MK let go of the bag strap, twisting his fingers instead. 

“I mean, they’re not really biological sisters…” he trailed off, voice lowering. “And it’s been a long time,” he muttered. 

Scorpion Queen stopped caressing his hair, hand going up to fiddle with one of her side bangs. “How…long, exactly?” She said, finally catching up to how bad the situation could be. 

With a wince, MK hunched his shoulders, pulling on his shirt. 

“Uh… three hundred years?” He said meekly, looking up at her. 

Scorpion queen looked at him with silent, wide eyes, slowly processing that information. 

“It-it’s a long story!” 

She blinked, confusion flooding her face. 

“You..you are a kid, right? I’m pretty sure humans aren’t supposed to live that long, but maybe I’m just…” she waved her hand, trying to remember what little she knew about humans. 

MK was quick to reassure her, waving his little hands frantically. 

“No no! I’m a kid! I’m a…demon, I think?” He questioned himself, tilting his head. “Mom said I have her powers, so I think I’m at least half-demon,” he explained, recalling what his mother had explained to him. “Oh! I don’t actually look human! Mama said it’s a glam-glamour?” He asked, looking up at the Queen for confirmation. 

She nodded, smiling. “Yes, that is the correct term, honey.” She crossed her arms, leaning on her right leg. “So I suppose your mother put this glamour on you, to protect you? Or hide you?” 

“My guardian did!” Beamed MK. 

Scorpion Queen sighed. 

“This is getting complicated,” she grimaced, looking to the side. 

The child blinked, resuming his swinging. “Right! Well, I don’t know how to take it off, but I think Miss. Princess Iron Fan could help me,” he said, looking up at her. Scorpion Queen smiled. 

“Only one way to know!”  

She rang the doorbell and looked back at the kid, both waiting in silence for an answer. 

“Sooo…” she said, dragging the ‘o’. The child hummed in acknowledgement and looked up at her. 

She smiled, unable to hide her curiosity. “What did you get her?”

MK did a double take, looking at her again. “Huh?” 

Scorpion Queen went on, trying to sneak a look into the kid’s bag, eager to discover the gift for the princess. 

“You know, as a present?” She continued, trying to remind the child. Her eyes widened when he visibly paled, gripping the strap tighter. “U-uhm??” 

She grew frantic, kneeling to the kid’s height. “You knew you needed a present, right?” MK took quick breaths, looking around with panic in his eyes. “No! No, I didn’t! Mama said nothing about a present!” 

He closed his eyes, trying to recall any warnings or suggestions she might have given him. 

His mother smiled, caressing his head. “Oh, the journey will be long, make sure you have enough food and water.” She fussed over her son as he nodded. “I will, I will! Now tell me more about Princess Iron Fan! Please?” She hummed, nodding. “Of course. Oh, and don’t forget to bring something of high value with you, you are going to need it!” He nodded once again, pleading his mother to go back to the story. 

He blinked, hands twisting the bag strap. 

“That’s what she meant!? H-how was I supposed to know what she meant?!” 

Scorpion Queen looked at him. 

“It’s tradition to bring a present to the demon you’re visiting! It’s supposed to work as an apology for the visit or a thank you for the invite!”

The child sniffed, growing more and more nervous by the second.  “I didn’t know! Is she gonna hurt me??!” He asked, blinking back the tears.

The Queen froze, her gaze hardening. She picked up the child, leaning on one leg to sit him on her hip, before firmly looking at his worried little face. 

“She will have to go through my cold, dead body before she can lay a single finger on you!” 

With a small sniff, MK smiled and hugged the woman. She cooed, patting his head. 

“You poor thing! If she shoos you away you can always stay with me!” She exclaimed, squeezing him protectively. “Heaven knows I need some company apart from the animals,” she looked to the side. “And also an heir but we’ll get to that later, love.”

“Really?” sniffed the child, wiping away a tear. Xie smiled, nodding enthusiastically. “Yeah honey, really! You can even call me auntie if you’d like!”

Xiaotian giggled when the woman wriggled her fingers into his sides, tickling him. 

“If you’re both quite done with the sugar, I’d like to know the purpose of this visit before I kick you out of my doorstep.”

MK and Scorpion queen screamed, hugging each other tighter and staring at the Princess, who stood silent with a deadpan expression on her face. She raised an unimpressed eyebrow, waving her hand while she twiddled with her fan in the other. 

Scorpion Queen put MK back on the ground and he gulped, looking around for a gift to give her. 

The wind ruffled his hair, leaves twirling in the air.

The golds, child.

Use the pearls.

The golden pearls, child.

Rare things they are, son of nature.

An appropriate gift, for an appropriate princess.

MK’s eyes widened and he looked down at his bag. 

“Worth a shot…”

He opened it, offering its contents to the princess.

“U-uhm, for you, Mrs- Ms- Princess- Lady ma’am?”

Rolling her eyes, she glanced at the kid with a scoff. “No need for that many titles, child.” She looked at Scorpion Queen, tilting her head.

“I do hope you’re bothering me for a good reason this time, Zi jing.” 

Nodding furiously, Xie smiled nervously. “The child needed to meet you, I am merely the escort.”

Looking back at the kid, the princess raised an eyebrow, grabbing the bag with a sneer. 

“Now child, I don’t know what kind of princess you think I am,” she said, opening the bag. “But I’m not going to accept a…bag…” she trailed off, eyes widening as soon as she saw the contents of it. 

“These…” 

Taking a golden berry out to examine it, she stared at the child wide-eyed. Scorpion Queen gasped, eyeing the berry. 

Iron Fan stared at the berry in disbelief and turned her attention to the child. 

“The berries of everlasting life,” she murmured. “How did you get them? They bloom only every five hundred years and to my knowledge, there are no bushes like this around the area!” 

MK squirmed under her firm gaze, growing uncomfortable with the attention. He looked at both ladies, at a loss for words. 

“You must have come from a far place, to have this many berries, is that right?” 

Nodding, the child took a step forward, looking up at the princess who was still admiring a golden berry, rolling it between her fingers. 

“Uhm…I found a bush on the way here and I was really hungry…and, well, the bush offered me berries in exchange for water so I already ate some of them, I’m sorry!” 

He bowed, clapping his hands together, hoping that the princess would be merciful to him. After all, what kind of royal would accept…let’s say, a half-eaten bag of chips? 

He looked up when he heard the Princess chuckle, putting the berry back in the bag and turning her back on him, waving her hand to make sure they’d follow her. His shoulders sagged in relief and he snuck a glance at Scorpion Queen, who was smiling approvingly. 

Once they were seated on the soft, velvet cushions of the couches, Princess Iron Fan opened the bag, scooping all the golden delicacies out and spreading them on the dark, shiny table to count them. 

MK watched her closely, wringing his fingers together. He hoped they’d be enough. She did sound surprised when she opened the bag, so the gift was precious, right?

“Thirty-five berries,” she stated, almost in shock.

“Thirty-five berries of everlasting life. With this amount, I won’t need to worry about feeding my servants for a month, or maybe more!” She clapped her hands in glee, smiling slightly. She looked back at the child, noticing his confused expression. 

She straightened herself up, pushing a lock of hair back into the place it belonged. 

“You might not know this, but these berries are priceless. One of them can fill a mortal’s stomach for over a month. They are rare, but they’re very important for royals and people of high status, as they can be used to feed servants without using high amounts of resources,” she explained, hands folded on her lap. 

Xiaotian’s eyes widened, cold dread filling his heart. 

“One berry can fill a stomach for a month?!” 

He looked around, trying to do a quick count of how many he’d eaten in the span of four days. 

“There were the three I ate as soon as I got them, then the four I ate on the way and the two I ate for dinner and then another three for breakfast and lunch…” 

He counted on his fingers, pursing his lips with worry. 

“So it’s seven, nine, twelve…” 

A tap on his shoulder shook him back into reality and he was met with two confused stares. He sent them a wavery smile, trying to conceal his concerns. 

“S-so if, if…uhm,” he looked to the side, trying to muster up the courage to ask the question. 

“If hypothetically, let’s say, I ate, uhm…twelve berries. Hypothetically!” He said again as their confused stares became shocked instead. 

Princess Iron fan opened her mouth, only for nothing to come out. She closed it, then opened it again– Scorpion Queen would have probably laughed at her if she wasn’t also shocked. 

“You…you ate a dozen of them?” She said, worry suddenly filling her voice. “How long have you travelled, child? Surely your parents must be worried sick by now!” 

Xiaotian tilted his head, silently coming up with a believable explanation. The truth was probably the best thing to say for now. 

“Well…I think I travelled for…four or five days?” He tapped his chin as he tried to recall how much time had passed during his trip in the desert. 

“Let’s see, I passed the bush on the first night and then I got in the jungle on the second day…” “The journey through the jungle was two days long!” Piped in Scorpion Queen. MK nodded, smiling. “And then on the fifth day, we arrived here!”

It was moments like this when Iron Fan was glad to be sitting already because she knew, had she been standing, her legs would have given out from the shock. “You ate a dozen berries in the span of…four and a half days.” She stated, voice void of any emotion. 

The child nodded, looking down ashamedly, seemingly thinking he was in trouble. 

Scorpion Queen snapped her fingers, eyes wide as she finally remembered something. “It might be helpful to know he’s not human?” 

Rubbing the bridge of her nose, Iron Fan sighed. “And you couldn’t say that first, no?” 

Princess Iron Fan looked at the child again, crossing her arms. “Well, putting that matter to the side, for now, I still don’t know your name, child. Or the purpose of your visit.”

Mk gasped, nodding in realisation. “Right! I forgot! Sorry!” He smiled, straightening himself and clearing his throat.

“I’m Qi Xiaotian, Son of Baigujing, the Ivory Lady.”

Chapter Text

“Liar!” Snarled Princess Iron Fan, rising from her seat. “The last time I saw my sister was over three hundred years ago when she was trapped by Sun Wukong !” She hissed, gaze hardening at the name.

Scorpion Queen hummed, nodding with a stern look. “I’m starting to think he has it out for your family,” she piped in, Iron Fan scoffing as she sat back down, crossing her arms. 

“I’d believe that.”

MK tilted his head. “What’s wrong with Sun Wukong? He’s the Monkey King, right?” He asked, blinking in confusion. Why would the great Monkey King, the hero of the valley, hurt someone’s family?

Iron Fan sneered, her sharp nails digging into her sleeves. “I hate him.” She answered with a hiss. “If I had the chance to kill him I would rip him apart with my bare hands.” MK blinked, not expecting such a passionate answer. The princess kept talking, her face darkening the more she went on. Scorpion Queen winced, looking between the child and the princess.

“First he tries to kill my sister, then he goes for my brother! Then he traps my sister and after that my husband too!” She yelled, grief evident in her eyes, almost the same amount as the pure unbridled spite in them. “If he comes for me or my son I will rip that wretched sage to shreds,” she threatened, glaring at the child.

Shrinking into his shoulders, MK avoided eye contact with the princess, Scorpion Queen cooing at him. “Oh…” he gulped, not knowing if it was the right time for a silly question. He looked up, noticing Iron Fan’s anger was not directed at him and neither at her friend, but rather at the empty air in front of them. 

“Uhm…you said my mom-” “ Not your mother. It’s impossible.” She interrupted with a glare. He went on, ignoring that sentence. “You said she was trapped over…three hundred years ago?”

Iron Fan nodded, checking her nails. “Precisely. She never had a beloved, so it’s impossible for her to have birthed you.”

MK smiled, shoulders sagging in relief. “Oh well, that’s because she didn’t birth me! She created me with her magic!” 

At Iron Fan’s raised eyebrow, he explained. “She extracted some of her magic and…” he paused, considering if he should tell her he had the Monkey King’s magic within him or not.

He decided on no.

“And someone else’s magic and let it outside! It went into a rock and it became some sort of rock egg! And I was born from that!”

Iron Fan relaxed, eyes widening in surprise. “So she…created you?” She asked, still diffident about the whole situation. 

MK nodded, thinking of a way to convince her. 

“Who met me will immediately recognise my magic, it will basically be a way for me to vouch for you.”

He smiled, concentrating on his core and pulling at his magic, letting out a small giggle when he felt a cold sensation wash over him. 

Shivering, Scorpion Queen rubbed her bare arms, glancing at the source of the coldness, just as Iron Fan gasped, feeling the familiar magic of her beloved sister surround her. She looked at the small child, who stared at her with hope in his eyes.

“You have her magic…” She whispered, finally realising the child was indeed telling the truth. 

The surprise was quickly drowned out by shock and betrayal. Had her sister had a child before she was trapped? Had she not told her? Why was he only coming here now?

“She extracted some of her magic and let it outside!”

Her eyes narrowed. “And I’m supposed to believe that someone born from a rock egg like Sun Wukong is my sister’s son?” She huffed, crossing her legs. “That I have a nephew?”

“Her magic couldn’t have been enough, the tomb was created specifically for her! No one else could have trespassed that ward!” She yelled, waving her hands. “The only person that comes to mind is–” she stopped, staying silent for a minute. Mk winced, avoiding her gaze.

“No.”

“That’s impossible,” she stated, refusing to believe her sister could stoop that low. 

“The only magic she could have used was…” 

She sat in silent shock, processing that information. 

“HOW COULD SHE!?”

She snapped, up on her feet in less than a second, walking around while wildly waving her hands in the air. 

“A CHILD! WITH SUN WUKONG! ”

She yelled.

“SUN WUKONG!”

MK winced, pressing his lips together while his aunt screamed in rage.

“THE ONE PERSON I HATE WITH ALL MY HEART!” she turned around, crossing her arms. “UNBELIEVABLE!” She yelled, sitting back down. 

She huffed, coming to a realisation. “The sage’s magic could have been enough to loosen the ward but not to avoid any alarms,” she muttered, scratching her chin. “That could have only been done with my brother’s magic. But how did she get hair from him? They’ve always despised each other.” She hummed, finally calming down. “Did he give it to her willingly?”

MK smiled, tilting his head. “Maybe he knew trapping her would make you sad, so he tried to help!”

Iron Fan snorted a small smile on her face at the thought of the ridiculous suggestion. 

“That’s sweet, child, but he would never do something like that.” She glanced at him, eyeing him up and down. 

“Xiaotian, was it?”

Beaming, MK nodded excitedly. Iron Fan’s heart ached, the smile too familiar. It was the same smile she saw every time they made mooncakes, the same smile she had whenever she heard a bad pun or her loyal soldier made a joke. The same smile that was present on her face whenever she visited the gardens and her eyes landed upon her daffodils. 

With a pained heart, she realised.

He had her smile.

“I have a nephew…” she uttered, her gaze softening. 

“I can’t believe it, my sister has an heir-” then another realisation followed. “You’ve been alone, all this time?” Her nephew nodded, looking down. 

Rubbing the bridge of her nose, she sighed.

“A child with the Great sage equal to heaven…I’m gonna need some coffee-” “I can make some!” Piped in Scorpion Queen, who’d been silent the whole time, wanting to give the aunt and nephew some time alone. “I know where the kitchen is-” she trailed off, hurrying to the fortress’s kitchens. 

The two sat in comfortable silence for a minute, before the child spoke up, wringing the wrinkled shirt in his hands.

“Uhm, mom said you could help me-” “You need somewhere to stay, do you?” Interrupted Iron Fan, glancing at the kid, who nodded at her. She hummed, walking up to him and sitting next to him, one of her hands going up to his head, sharp nails caressing through his hair. 

“You’re welcome to stay here for as long as you need, nephew,” she stated, patting his head. 

Her nephew smiled, leaning into her hand. “You can call me MK!”

She raised an eyebrow, glancing at him. “MK? What does that mean?”

“Oh you know, Monkie Kid, like the one person you absolutely despise-” 

Yeah, he definitely was not saying that to her. 

“On second thought, Xiaotian is good.”

“What does MK mean?” Insisted his aunt, confused. “Don’t worry about it, auntie!” He said, waving his hands around. 

Iron Fan scoffed, ruffling his hair. “I still can’t believe she had a child with Sun Wukong out of all people!” She glanced at the kid, whispering conspiratorially. “If she were here she’d be getting an earful, that’s for sure,” she said, earning a giggle from the child. 

A warm voice interrupted the two, startling the child.

“Mother? Did you get rid of the people at the door?”

“Ah, Red Son,” said Iron Fan, waving a hand to her son, gesturing him to come over. Her child blinked in surprise and walked over, crossing his arms and staring at the little human. “Who is this simpleton, mother?” His eyes narrowed. “Is he bothering you?” 

His mother laughed at his antics, looking at him with fondness. “Don’t you worry, my boy,” she chided, “he’s nothing of the sort.” She held out her hand and looked at MK as Red Son raised an eyebrow in confusion. 

“This is Xiaotian, my nephew,” she explained, a calm smile on her face. “He will be staying with us for a while.” “How long is a while?” Hissed Red Son, glaring at the new guest. Tieshan sighed internally, of course, Red Son would be hostile to a stranger, but that still did not explain where his manners had gone. She’d properly taught him etiquette, and yet it seemed it had flown out the window the moment he crossed eyes with Xiaotian. 

The boy in question shrunk into his own shoulders, looking down at his lap in silence so as to not anger his…cousin, apparently?

Red Son huffed, eyeing his peer with a sneer and stuffed his hands in his coat’s pockets. “Fine. Don’t go into my lab, heavens know you’ll probably destroy something,” he ordered, glaring at MK and nodding to his mother before retiring to his own room. Tieshan shook her head with a small sigh, eyes not leaving her son’s retreating form until he’d been completely gone in the hallway. 

She looked at her nephew, who was hesitantly looking at her, lips pressed together, little hands wringing the shirt’s edge nervously. She cooed, running a hand through his hair, perfectly manicured nails carefully wringing out all the knots. 

“I’m sorry, his father spoiled him very much,” she explained, her heart melting when the child nuzzled her hand, relaxing at the gentle touch. “He’s very possessive about his inventions, you know?” She hummed, tilting her head. “His little ingenious contraptions are so very delicate, surely he’s working to improve them and make them more resistant, but the correct materials proved to be increasingly difficult to find.”

MK stared at her blankly, nodding with a confused smile on his face. 

“Sorry Auntie, I don’t know what half of the words you just said mean,” he stated, to Iron Fan’s surprise. 

“You don’t?” She blinked in surprise. “Didn’t your mother teach you-” she paused, pursing her lips. His mother was sealed away, sure he’d met her, but Xiaotian had said it himself this was all new to him, meaning…

“You never received a proper education, did you?”

MK smiled awkwardly, looking to the side. “Uhh…my guardian read to me sometimes?” 

Iron Fan sighed, rubbing the bridge of her nose. “Wonderful.” She muttered, voice flat and void of any excitement whatsoever. She sneered, mind going back to the village her husband had been attacking. Xiaotian had come from that village, but with no threats, she thought they’d be getting better. How come a single child didn’t receive an education? Was it something only kids with families could afford? Demons were all required to follow at least the basic lessons of language and history, and they were free for all to attend. 

She looked back at her nephew, who’d been patiently and silently waiting for her to talk again. She smiled, leaning on her couch. 

“Very well. I will hire a tutor for you, in the meantime though, our library is free for you to explore, get familiar with some words and all,” she said, huffing in surprise when Xiaotian squealed and hugged her, thanking her profusely. 

“I don’t know what my mom told you, but you’re not welcome here.” 

Xiaotian blinked, closing a book he’d been trying to figure out and turned around, tilting his head when he saw Red Son leaning against the doorway, arms crossed, sneer on his face. Xiaotian frowned, tilting his head with a confused hum. 

“But she said I was?”

Scoffing, the demon child rolled his eyes, walking closer to the little guest. “She obviously said that to appear good in your eyes! You are not wanted nor needed!” 

With a hesitant step, Xiaotian walked closer, tapping his fingers against the book. 

“We’re as good as we are, just the two of us,” continued the demon child, glaring daggers at the other. “ You are just in the way.”

Xiaotian blinked once again, this time realising what was happening. “Oh, I see.”

Red Son smirked, puffing out his chest. “Exactly, so you better-” “You’re jealous,” interrupted Xiaotian with a small smile. “You think I’m a threat,” he giggled, holding the book closer to his chest. Red Son clicked his tongue, sneering at the younger demon. “Like I’m worried about that! My mother would never choose an orphan stranger over her own son!” 

Xiaotian’s smile faltered, he put down the book and raised his hands in a pacific manner like he’d seen someone do when approaching a stray kitten. “Look, I’m not trying to get in the way,” he explained gently, trying to regain the confidence that hateful glare had completely destroyed. “I’m just here to survive , and I’m not an orphan, I have my own mother to talk to, you know? Can’t we just be friends?” He offered a hand as a peace treaty, only to flinch when it was slapped away. 

“I’d rather die.” Spat the demon child.

Xiaotian blinked back tears, smiling again. “I’m really just-” “ We don’t need a parasite in our home. So you better pack your things and go,” snapped Red Son, walking to the door and looking back at him with a glare. “You won’t last a day in here, I’ll make sure of it.” 

And with a slam of the door, Xiaotian was alone again. 

The only noise present was the small flickering of the flames coming from the fireplace nearby. 

The child flexed his fingers, burying them in the hem of his shirt as he went back to wringing it and pulling it while he tried to blink back tears.

“We don’t need a parasite in our home.”

“We need a child that can easily trust us, money is not a problem.”

“We’re good as we are, just the two of us.”

“Your child is delightful!” “Oh, I know, we’re so proud!”

“You are just in the way!”

“Mom? Dad? Where are you going?” “Don’t call us that” “We’re bringing you back to the orphanage”

“Why? Haven’t I been good? I did all the chores and cooked and-”

“We don’t need children.”

“You are not wanted nor needed.”

“You didn’t think they’d actually keep you, right? They just wanted to look good in front of important people. No one would want someone like you, you stupid child.”

“She obviously said that to appear good in your eyes!”

“Such a bother, honestly.”

“Why can’t you just die, so we won’t need to take care of you?”

“Nobody wants you anyway.”

“We could just kill you and nobody would miss you.”

“Stop crying you ungrateful brat.”

Stop crying. 

Stop crying?

Xiaotian sniffed, harshly rubbing his eyes, trying to stop the tears. 

Nobody wanted him, was it true?

Was his aunt just keeping him to appear good in front of someone?

Was he not needed?

Was he not…wanted?

With a hic, Xiaotian knelt down on trembling legs, trying to muffle his cries in the big library.

“Mother!”

Tieshan looked up from her book, putting down the coffee cup she was sipping from. “Red Son? Are you alright? Dinner will be ready soon-”

“You have to get rid of that-that-that-BOY! I hate him!” Complained the child, stomping his foot on the ground, face red. “He’s rude! We don’t need-” “Red son,” interrupted the mother, getting up from her seat and folding her hands in front of her. “Forgive me but I’m…quite confused. Xiaotian may not have the best education,” she said calmly as she walked up the stairs and towards the library where Xiaotian had been staying for the past hour. “But I’m sure if you just tell him what he’s doing wrong, he’ll apologise and correct his ways.”

Red Son grumbled, crossing his arms and walking into the library with his mother, looking for that disgustingly happy child–

“Xiaotian!”  

His mother rushed in front of the sobbing child with a worried expression on her face. Xiaotian looked up, only to flinch back when Tieshan raised a hand towards him.

All three demons in the room froze.

Tieshan retreated the hand, hesitating to touch the crying child, whose eyes were wide in fear, arms raised in front of him as if to make a shield to protect himself. 

From behind his mother, Red Son gulped, slowly taking in the sight of the child he’d only seen smiling until now. 

“Mother! The stray keeps scratching me and flinching!” 

Complained the child stomping his foot. 

“It’s not letting me feed it!”

Tieshan sighed, patting her son’s head. “Oh, my dear, of course, it’s not,” explained the mother, walking towards the hissing stray and kneeling down. “It flinches because it’s scared,” she said, putting forward a hand and wincing a bit when the cat scratched it, never stopping the hisses. “It doesn’t trust you, but it’s okay.”

“Trust is a mutual feeling, it goes both ways.”

The demon child peered over his mother’s shoulders as she patiently waited for the kitten to stop hissing. 

“And it takes time and patience,” she lectured, smiling when the kitten tore off the fish from her hand, quickly devouring it, while still keeping its eyes on the pair.

“It’s not going to be instant, and sure, while you might want to pet the cat, you have to make sure it trusts you first.”

She held out her knuckles, a patient smile on her face when she saw the kitten hesitate. 

“The ones who find trust to be a difficult feeling are the ones who have been betrayed because of it.”

“They’re the ones who’re hurting the most.”

The kitten sniffed her knuckles, letting out a small mewl and licking her scratches.

“But once you have their trust,” she said as she scratched the kitten’s chin, “they’ll dedicate their life to you.”

Xiaotian had flinched. 

Guilt bloomed in Red Son’s chest, a frown making its way onto his face. He’d never meant to make the kid cry, he just wanted to scare him off!

He watched as his mother cradled the sobbing child delicately, as if he was made of glass, or as if the slightest mistake could shatter him into little pieces. 

She turned her head, looking at her son, disappointment written all over her face. Red Son ducked his head, biting his lip in shame and avoiding her gaze. 

“You’re jealous!” Giggled the child.

“You think I’m a threat,” he said, tilting his head.

Xiaotian had been right. He was jealous.

Since his father had been trapped, his mother had stopped smiling so often. He’d tried his best, but it was apparent her husband’s defeat had taken a great toll on her. 

She still made sure to give Red Son everything he needed, but different from what he wanted.

It wasn’t her fault, she was too distraught to notice when her child pulled her robe or stuttered out some excuses to spend time with her. She always left him with a pat on the head and the ghost of a smile. 

But then, all it took was one day.

Two hours, more specifically.

Two hours and his mother had shown more emotions than she had in the past three months. 

All because of a stranger.

An orphan.

Her nephew.

So forgive him if he wanted to be the one to make his mother smile again. He’d tried scaring the child off, hoping to get a second chance. Yes, he was jealous. 

He wanted to make his mother smile.

He wanted his mother to shake her head fondly at him.

He wanted his mother to hug him! 

Not the intruder.

Ah, envy.

What an ugly feeling it was. 

“Red Son, go to your room, we’ll talk later.”

Red Son flinched, quickly blinking and hurrying off with a nod. 

Tieshan sighed, long and tired, as she ran her hands through the child’s messy hair. The sobs had greatly decreased, but his grip on the woman stayed as strong as ever. 

“It’s okay, you’re okay,” she murmured, rubbing Xiaotian’s back. 

The child sniffed, eyes slowly closing, the tiredness from the three days of travel finally weighing onto him. 

“Don’t worry, you’re okay,” said the comforting voice as he let sleep wash over him.

“Mama’s got you now, Xiaotian,” whispered the spirit, kissing her son’s forehead as she cradled the sleeping child on her lap. 

“Care to explain why Xiaotian was crying?”

Asked Tieshan, arms crossed, steely eyes staring at her son, who was kicking the carpet and avoiding her gaze. 

“Red Son–” “I didn’t mean to make him cry!” Explained the child, ignoring the way his voice cracked as he interrupted his mother. 

She sighed, rubbing the bridge of her nose and walking towards her son, who was trying to blink back the tears. 

“I sure hope not, it would have been worse if you wanted to make him cry, no?”

Red Son nodded, not trusting his voice at the moment.

Tieshan hesitated for a moment before sitting next to her son on the dark bed. 

“May I know why– no, how this happened?”

The little demon crossed his arms, turning his head to avoid his mother’s gaze. 

“Red Son,” she insisted, “If you don’t tell me what you said, or why you said it, I can’t–” “BECAUSE YOU WERE GOING TO REPLACE ME!”

Yelled the child before breaking into small sobs, biting his tongue to keep them down.

Tieshan stared at her child in shock, slowly processing what he’d said.

“Why do you think I’d replace you?”

The child said nothing, gripping his pants, small sobs wracking his body. 

With a sigh, Iron Fan laid a hand on her son’s shoulder, pulling him into a hug. 

“Red Son, the day you were born was the happiest day of my life, I could never replace you, okay?” She said firmly, pulling her child’s head up so she could look into his eyes. 

He let out a hiccup, voice trembling.

“Y-you haven’t smiled at me since father was defeated! T-then- then that boy came and you smiled at him! ” 

Tieshan’s heart broke, and she hugged her son harder. “And I’m so sorry for that, my dear. I’ve been out of it, I didn’t make time for you-” she stopped, her voice cracking too. “You’re my child, I’ve been denying you affection, without realising that I wasn’t the only one affected by my husband’s defeat! I didn’t realise it, I didn’t bother trying to realise it, and I’m sorry, my dear.”

She kissed his forehead, her son burying his face in her chest. “I’ll make things right, it’s my duty as a parent.”

Mother and Son hugged, muttering words of comfort to each other, closer than they’d ever been since the Bull King was imprisoned.