Chapter Text
MK huffed quietly as he quietly turned over in his sleeping bag, no matter how tired or sore his body felt his mind was the complete opposite.
Despite the mountain being quiet and peaceful, all MK could feel was pure anxiety running through his blood.
He had failed again, earlier with his fight with Azure, he failed to grab the two pieces or hell even just one of the pieces from the lion.
How could MK be the successor of Sun Wukong fail so miserably, not even being the successor for a year!
MK bit back a groan before quietly getting up from his spot and making his way outside. Sighing as he fell back against the ground looking up at the sky.
What if we never free him?
Tears welled in his eyes, angrily MK wiped them away sniffling quietly, no he couldn’t fail again. Everyone was counting on him to win.
Monkey King was counting on him.
MK gasped quietly, feeling another glitch course through his body.
Gods, MK hated that stupid lion.
Deep breaths.
MK shook, taking in deep breaths as he relaxed his body, the glitching stopped.
He glanced through the crack staring at the clouds above.
MK glared at them before he sat up to conspire a plan that would work.
One that would set Wukong free, even if it meant MK giving up everything.
*****
“There’s an intruder,” Peng said looking towards Azure. He knew that Azure and Tusk could feel the atmosphere change.
Azure stayed silent looking ahead before sighing.
“Don’t hurt him badly, he’s here for a specific reason, more than wanting to release Wukong.”
Peng nodded before heading off to catch the intruder. Peng had more than enough trust in his brothers that they could tell this was a planned attack.
Outside, pillars were destroyed, craters were landmines, and pieces of armor from other celestials laid on the ground. The metallic smell of blood hung heavy in the air.
There was no way that MK was openly walking out towards the entrance to the palace, with no staff in sight without a trick up his sleeve.
Peng growled before letting his feathers aim for him and releasing them, easily pinning MK to the ground. MK let out a strangled noise before glaring at Peng in front of him.
Peng glared right back before letting his feathers fall out of place.
The eagle went and landed a hard punch straight to MK’s gut, MK grunted holding his abdomen, barely given any time to react before Peng was roundhouse kicking him. Mk was thrown into one of the pillars before falling to the ground.
Wheezing and coughing, MK spat out some blood, before Peng grabbed him again, but this time to drag him through the Jade Palace, before going straight to the throne room (the palace looked much more like an actual palace instead of a hall leading to the throne).
Peng threw MK down towards Azure’s feet letting a smug look come across his face.
“Careful my emperor, he has tricks up his sleeves, much like his has been Master,” Peng called out before letting two of his feathers hold down MK.
Azure snorted and lowered his gaze to MK, he looked worse for wear.
“Come to get bested again MK?” he asked casually.
MK sighed, “no, I-I didn’t come here to fight Azure.”
Azure raised an eyebrow; he could see Peng from the corner grab his spear while Tusk watched with an attentive eye.
“What is your business here then?”
A dark shadowed look came over MK’s face, “there must be a way for you to release Monkey King from the scroll. I- I'll do anything Azure please.” MK begged.
Peng laughed from behind him, “so you’ve come to beg for that chimp’s freedom? After what you’ve done?” Azure had caught off Peng before he could continue.
“How far does your anything go?” He asked.
MK gulped, “well uh, y’know we can do a trade. You set Monkey King free and I’ll- I’ll uh join you.” He forced out, cringing at his words.
Tusk looked towards MK, “and how can we trust you?”
“You can’t, none of you can trust me, but I came here alone unarmed, I won’t resist as long as Azure holds up his end of the deal.”
The two brothers looked towards the new emperor, awaiting his final answer.
“There might be a spell to release Sun Wukong, however, he might not be the same,” Azure stated.
MK felt hope ignite in his chest, “I’ll take it.”
Azure nodded before grabbing the pieces, he gripped them tightly before glancing over at Tusk.
“Tusk, go find me those enchanted cuffs.” He ordered. Tusk nodded and immediately set off from the group.
MK watched Azure’s every move as the lion emperor let the pieces float above, calling forth his power. The room had a surge of energy as Azure chanted out a spell watching as the two pieces merged together as one.
The one-piece fell into Azure’s hand, he panted heavily not expecting restoring the scroll to take as much energy as it had.
MK grinned seeing the one piece, trying to lift his body from the ground until Peng pushed him back down.
“If you know what’s best child, stay down.”
Tusk soon returned with three pairs of matching cuffs, Azure hummed in approval before muttering a spell over each one, seeing how blue/purple specks fell over each item. MK gulped in fear as Azure turned his attention back to him.
“So, I release Wukong, and you’ll join us? Is that right?” He asked.
MK felt himself freeze in his spot, not trusting his voice he nodded his head in approval, watching as Azure grabbed the scroll again before muttering another spell.
The scroll glowed in the room as it floated up in the air, the room was encased by the dark gray color as the gooey ink exploded over the room.
The brother trio covered themselves from it as the light grew dimmer until it fell with a clatter against the floor.
On the other side of the room lay a lump of a very much monkey figure.
Wukong looked terrible, to say the least, MK had only seen him without his full glamour once and right now he’d mark it as his second time.
His fur was tussled, burnt at the tips, white streaks flowing with the golden ones, several patches missing. His clothes were ripped and had many missing parts.
MK could just see the scars littering his mentor's body underneath. Around his eyes, he could tell they were red from the furnace, but the most noticeable thing was his height.
Sun Wukong had gone back to his true original form, and right now Wukong was as tall as a 4th grader.
MK gasped trying to free himself from the feather’s hold to get to Wukong.
Instantly Azure was behind Wukong, lifting him easily as Wukong regained consciousness.
“Hmph- what’s going on?” He mumbled blinking the grogginess out of his eyes.
“Monkey King!” MK called out, still desperately trying to get out of the grasp of the golden feathers.
Wukong alerted by Mk shot up, looking around and seeing the palace, his breath hitched as he felt eyes watching him from behind.
Azure kicked Wukong to the ground as quickly as ever, ignoring MK’s pleas, using one arm to hold down the monkey as his other hand, held one of the three cuffs as he slipped it over his thrashing tail.
Wukong instantly felt a cold shiver go up his spine, his body felt weak as he snarled at Azure who finally let go of Wukong.
The simian jumped back looking to see Peng and Tusk hold down MK (whose body started glitching out of control again). Wukong glared back at Azure.
“Azure, I swear to Buddha, if you hurt one hair on his head, I’ll-”. Azure had stopped him.
“Your successor is much like you Sun Wukong, self-sacrificing, selfless, always making himself out to be the hero,” Azure said as he grabbed the other two cuffs heading towards MK who looked up in fear.
Wukong gasped and ran over before he could lay a hand on Azure, Tusk was slamming Wukong into the ground, as Peng stayed with MK holding out his wrists for Azure to clip on the cuffs.
Much like Wukong, MK felt dread wash over him, his body felt weakened as the cuffs gave a slight squeeze to his wrists. The major change was the glitching had stopped, however, MK could see dark brown fur covering his arms.
MK decided to deal with the fact he fully shifted into his monkey form later. Glaring up at Azure, Wukong groaned pulling himself up and glancing at MK, fear washed over the King as he ran over to MK.
“You- what did you do!” Wukong roared, his red eyes burned into Azure’s magenta ones.
“Me? I did what MK asked like I said self-sacrificing hero.” Azure said unbothered.
Wukong growled getting ready to leap until Tusk grabbed him again, holding him against his body.
Azure chuckled, “I do believe we had a deal MK, your mentor’s freedom for your own, am I correct?”
Wukong let out a noise before glancing at MK, struggling in Tusk’s hold.
“Bud, what did you do?” Wukong whispered, fear present in his eyes and voice. MK refused to meet his gaze, shame creeping up on him.
“What I had to do.” He replied quietly.
“Well, I think that’s enough excitement for one night,” Peng said, finally letting MK out of his hold.
Azure nodded and turned back to Tusk, “brother I do believe you could show Wukong back to the mountain?”
Tusk nodded before dragging out Wukong who kept screaming and trying to claw his way out.
“Don’t worry MK, I’ll get you out! Just hold out for us!” He yelled as the doors finally closed, leaving the rest in a silent room.
“Peng show MK to one of the children’s rooms on the far side of the palace,” Azure said returning to his spot on the throne.
Peng bowed gracefully as he dragged a surprisingly compliant MK along with him toward the rooms.
“Here we are, you’re lucky you even get a room this half decent, if it was me, you’d be in the dungeons,” Peng said opening the door for MK.
It was a bare room, it had more childish aspects to it and a smaller bed but there was still an attached bathroom to it.
“We will get you in the morning for breakfast, and more appropriate clothing,” Peng said before closing the door leaving MK alone.
MK let out a shaky breath, a small smile on his face as he fell on the bed, (he ignored the third limb that swayed behind him) the easy part was over, and now came the hard part.
Waiting it out.