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In light of the Scroll of Memory and the offensive comments from Macaque, MK had decided that he needed to brush up on his Monkey King knowledge. Clearly a lifetime of Tang's retellings of the legendary Journey to the West hadn't been enough and he decided to go straight to the source.
After an unbecoming amount of pleading, Monkey King had caved and presented him with the only unabridged written account of his adventures - literally buried beneath Flower Fruit Mountain's library.
Which seemed excessive to him but it was clear as Monkey King handed over to him how much he wished to snatch it back and bury it once more but after everything MK figured Monkey King owed him at least this much.
Before he could shoot off and start reading, Monkey King stopped him, looking guilty he requested, "Look, kid. You deserve to know everything but well, I'm just warning you now not everything makes for pleasant reading. I've done things I'm not proud of. But... Just come talk to me first before you think too badly of me, alright?"
MK was agreeable, "I will. I know this is the unabridged version but nothing will be as detailed as the Scroll of Memory. But I also know you're not the same monkey you were. You're way better."
Monkey King grinned and ruffled his hair before throwing an arm around him as he led them out, "What did I do to deserve a successor like you, huh?"
Well, MK guessed he was about to find out.
----
The unabridged version of Journey to the West had been enlightening to say the least. He was still working his way through it but so far it had been an invaluable source of knowledge and unexpectedly he felt it had brought him and Monkey King closer.
Which he had to admit was largely because Monkey King seemed to have resolved himself to be honest and upfront whenever MK came to him with a question. Which while sometimes serious, would often result in Monkey King's spirited retelling of the adventure in question which MK couldn't deny he ate up every time.
He had however recently come to the story of the Six-Eared Macaque and his part to play in Monkey King's journey towards enlightenment and it made for some somber reading.
He couldn't quite bring himself to talk to Monkey King about it yet. Combined with what he'd seen in the Scroll of Memory - he couldn't imagine that it would be an easy thing for him to talk about.
After taking a few days to think on it and coming to terms with Macaque's fate. He decided that there were perhaps safer questions he could ask about this chapter with the other monkey in question. And boy, did he have so many questions.
It wasn't too hard to find Macaque these days, if he was in the mood to be approached, you could often find him lazing in a tree somewhere around the island, apparently content to do absolutely nothing.
So, after finding him one day, he loudly cleared his throat as he walked towards him and read out from the open book in his hand, "The fourth is the Six-Eared Macaque, who has a sensitive ear, discernment of fundamental principles, knowledge of past and future, and comprehension of all things."
He closed the book with flair and looked up at Macaque expectently, the monkey did not look remotely fazed to see him or the book he was reading from. In fact, he didn't even deign to sit up, still reclining on a tree branch above him.
"Ah, MK. Took up my advice to do some reading, huh? Wise choice. I'm sure Wukong is thrilled."
He let himself be momentarily distracted, defending his mentor passionately, "Hey! I'll have you know it was Monkey King who gave me this book! And he's been super good at answering all my questions!"
Macaque laughed a little meanly, before sitting up against the trunk of the tree, to grin down at him, "Oh? I'm curious about the questions and answers on this chapter. Do tell."
MK fibbed slightly, "Er... I've only just finished it but I have questions for you first! Mr. "Knowledge of Past and Future"! How could you know the future and get into trouble with the Buddha and with the Lady Bone Demon?"
Macaque rubbed at his chin thoughtfully before he shrugged. He brought his hands to his ears for a moment and when he pulled them away, there were six where there had been two.
MK gasped dramatically and pointed at him, "You've had six ears this whole time!?"
"Why did you think I was called the Six-Eared Macaque?"
MK floundered, he had no answer. Lots of demons in Journey to the West had long and strange names, although admittedly most of them were pretty apt descriptors of the demon in question.
He shrugged sheepishly and Macaque just looked unimpressed. Wanting to move past his embarrassment quickly, he asked, "Why hide them?"
His response was sarcastic, "Oh right, because I just love idiots stopping to gawk at them."
MK quickly brought his eyes back to Macaque's face, not having even realised they had strayed - in his defense though they were glowing various different colours, it was a little distracting.
"Alright, fair point. Why'd you show me them?"
"Well, I can't have Wukong answering your questions about me - he'll get it all wrong."
"Wait. You're actually going to answer my questions properly? No talking around them or being vague?"
"I know. Don't you feel special? But as I said, you get your information from Wukong on this and you'll be expecting the impossible from me. So ask away, kid."
Somewhat suspicious but admittedly a little excited he made his way up the tree Macaque was in to sit on a nearby branch. Holding the book tightly, he asked, "You can really see the future?"
Macaque shook his head and pointed to his ears, "I can hear the future if I choose to. No visual to go along with it. Which as you can imagine does hamper my ability to properly know the future."
"Oh! So you don't just like know the future? You have to actually choose to listen to it?"
"That is what I said, yes."
"But your plan to imitate Monkey King - you must have checked to see if that would actually work?"
"The future's not set in stone, kid. I can listen to various possibilities - the further in the future I listen, the less certain the outcome."
MK couldn't help but feel disappointed, "This power is sounding less useful by the minute."
Macaque shrugged, "It has its uses to me every once in a while but I'll admit knowing the future doesn't always mean you can do anything about it either. Sometimes by focusing on one future, you inadvertently cause another."
He supposed that made sense, still not completely down and out over it however he asked, "Can you show me how it works? How do you listen to the future?"
Macaque seemed to think about it before he shrugged again, "Sure, give me a time and a place to listen in on and I'll give it a go. Preferably somewhere close in space and time. I can listen for the most probable future."
Not quite prepared to have Macaque actually show him, he scrabbled for what to ask, "Er... What am I having for dinner tonight?"
Aw man, he could potentially learn his future and that's all he could think to ask?
Macaque sighed heavily, "Time and place, kid."
"Oh, right! Pigsy's Noodles! And I guess, at like eight tonight?"
Macaque sat in a way reminiscent of Monkey King when he meditated. MK's eyes were drawn to his ears. The top set had been switching between gently glowing black and white but now there was only a pure black light emitting from them. The colours from his other ears were almost completely muted.
For several minutes, nothing happened. And MK wondered if he should be concerned - should it take this long? Macaque didn't look like he was in pain or anything.
Unable to help himself he tried to ask him what the hold up was but Macaque didn't so much as twitch at his questioning, and no matter how close or how loud he shouted in his ears he didn't respond. Being prodded or shaken had no effect either.
Ok, he was starting to see why looking into the future might not be a good idea if this is what was involved - Macaque was totally vulnerable! He had a fleeting thought that he could pull a prank on him but he immediately felt awful about it. Macaque must be really trusting him right now.
Another several minutes later and finally the black glow faded and Macaque opened his eyes, bringing a hand to rub at his temple, "You're having Ma Po Tofu. And don't be alarmed if Tang has a bandage around his hand - he got hurt trying to swipe food before it was ready. Also, if Mei invites you for a ride on her bike wear a helmet." He then paused, "I shouldn't have to tell you that."
"I'm practically indestructible! What do I need a helmet for?"
"If you're not partial to a full head of hair then by all means you set a bad example for impressionable young minds."
Bringing his hands to his hair protectively he cried, "I'm going to lose my hair!?"
"It's a possibility."
Silently swearing he'd wear a helmet from now on, he brought his hands down and asked, "You were out for like fifteen minutes! What took you so long?"
Still rubbing at his head, Macaque responded, "You know how much sound there is between here and Pigsy's Noodles? And then how much there is between now and several hours from now? It's a lot to sift through."
"Oh. You can't just like fast forward to the right bit?"
Macaque shot him an annoyed look, "I sorted through hours worth of information in 15 minutes - I'd say that was fast forwarding. You try listening to the future some time, see how well you handle it."
Macaque finally brought his hand away from his head and MK asked, "Does it hurt? Listening to all that noise?"
"It's not pleasant. If I'm at it too long I have the worst migraine you could imagine."
He felt a little bad that he'd had Macaque demonstrate for him but then again Macaque had offered and he had no idea that it sucked so much to do it.
"Does listening to something further in the future take more time then?"
Macaque nodded, "Coupled with a migraine and how uncertain the far future is - it's just not worth the effort."
"Dude, this power seems totally useless! It does you more harm than good and it might not even be accurate? No wonder you don't use it."
Macaque shrugged, "Try telling that to the Lady Bone Demon. My ability to hear the future was why she sought me out in the first place. My ears were basically at her command - could only use them when she let me and all she wanted to know was the most likely outcome of her various plans to reset the world. Ugh, my head was killing me every second she had me captive. And don't get me started on what she was like when I didn't give her the answer she wanted."
He'd never thought too much about Macaque's relationship with the Lady Bone Demon. On the hunt for the Samadhi Fire, Macaque had at first made it seem like he was working for her by choice. He was beginning to realise Macaque had probably had a worse time than anyone else had with her.
"But enough about that witch. Questions about my ability to hear the future satisfied?"
Mood significantly lower after thinking about the Lady Bone Demon, he tried to focus back on why he'd originally sought Macaque out, "Uh... Yeah. Thanks for the demonstration. I guess that's how listening to the past goes too?"
He nodded and pointed to the lowest ear on his right, "Only difference is the set of ears I use to listen but same deal. Although accuracy is more or less guaranteed with the past."
The bottom ears glowed red and green.
"Do the colours mean anything?"
"Hm? Ah, they just correspond with wǔxíng - green is furthest back, black is furthest forward."
"What about your middle ears? They're just yellow."
"For hearing the present - much easier to use than past and future but still likely to end in a headache if I stretch it too far."
He looked down at the book in his hands in consideration, "Do you ever listen to the past...?"
Macaque glanced down at the book and understood what he was really asking, "People that live in the past aren't really living. I'll admit I peak every once in a while but sometimes it's better not to know. If I'm listening to the past, it's for information I can use in the present or will be helpful in the future. I don't linger."
He nodded absentmindedly, that was probably a good thing. But his mind had started to wander to other applications of Macaque's abilities.
There was a part of him that desperately wanted Macaque to listen to his past - tell him how he'd shown up at Pigsy's door all the years ago but he his fear of the answer would never allow the question past his lips. Not to mention it was asking a lot of Macaque, it might take him days and then to top it off he'd have a migraine from hell.
He supposed it was a power that might be helpful for the present, or the immediate past or future but Macaque was right - it didn't sound worth it most of the time. No wonder it didn't help him any with the Buddha or the Lady Bone Demon.
"I think you've answered all my Six-Eared related questions. Thanks for actually just talking straight with me."
Macaque huffed, "I suppose it does make for a nice change of pace every once in a while. You sure that's everything? Because once I put the ears away you've lost your chance for an easy answer."
He looked down at the book in his hands. He wanted to know about Monkey King's past to help him with his future - given that his mentors old "friends" and enemies kept popping up to cause him trouble. But while he was curious about what had gone down between Monkey King and Macaque. It felt wrong for him to know more than he did.
He knew more than most and anything else he learned would be about the complicated feelings that the two no doubt had for each other and what happened. It wasn't for him to know.
"I guess I have one last question... Do you think you and Monkey King will ever talk about what happened?"
Macaque brought his hands up to his ears, and when he brought them away there were only two.
"Who can say? For the moment, we have a truce of sorts. And I can live with that for now. Not going to get Wukong's take on that chapter then?"
"No. I don't think I should. Sometimes it's better not to know, right?"
"I'm telling you, kid. You listen to me more often and you'll go far."
----
Wukong had waited until MK had left the island for the day before seeking out Macaque. He found him methodically cutting up fruit a good distance away from the mountain.
Despite, making his approach obvious, Macaque didn't bother to look up at him as he came into view. He just continued his work, seemingly unbothered his spoils were being pilfered by some of the island monkeys.
He came to stand a few feet away, eyeing up the other, waiting to see if he'd be acknowledged. When he wasn't he tried to think carefully how to broach the topic he had in mind.
"You weren't honest with, MK."
Macaque glanced at him before shrugging, "I didn't lie either."
"He thinks your powers to hear the past and future are pretty much useless."
Macaque sighed and put down the fruit and knife in his hand, "Forgive me, if I find it works out better for me if people don't know what I'm capable of."
It irked him that Macaque had led MK to believe his powers weren't at all a dangerous thing, sure his long term future hearing was probably not that reliable but all his other abilities could be used to devastating effect. Particularly if combined with certain artefacts or magic to speed up the process or lessen the pain.
He wasn't really sure what he hoped to achieve by confronting Macaque. Maybe his new honesty policy with MK was convincing him that everyone should follow suit.
He sat down with a huff, "MK's a good kid. He wouldn't have done anything if he knew. You just want him to underestimate you."
Macaque's eyebrow twitched, "If you're just here to start something then leave. I'm not in the mood to deal with you."
He pushed down the instinct to bite back with an inflammatory response and took a breath, "I'm just here to try and understand."
"Like hell, people who want to understand don't start by throwing around accusations. Try taking a leaf out of the kid's book sometime and don't assume you already know the answer. Because you rarely do."
Wukong's tail swished agitatedly behind him, "And you do? Crazy how often someone who can hear the past and future gets it wrong."
Macaque snarled at him, before catching himself and standing with an aggravated sound, "This is pointless. I don't need to hear the future to know that talking to you is a waste of time and energy. You just never know when to leave well enough alone."
Wukong stood, "Oh typical Macaque! Something's too difficult so he'll just run away!"
"Have you ever noticed that you're the thing that's too difficult? I was literally just sitting here, minding my business! And I didn't owe MK any answers! Just like I don't owe you any answers! You want the kid to know what I can do? Fine! You tell him! Not like you've ever cared what I wanted anyway!"
Wukong felt like he'd been slapped, "That's not true! I-"
He what? Had always cared? Always listened? Always put what someone else wanted before what he wanted?
None of that was true.
Why were they even arguing? Macaque hadn't done anything wrong. Was it really a big deal that MK didn't know every application of Macaque's powers? He hadn't known anything about his ears before now but suddenly Wukong was unhappy that Macaque hadn't felt obliged to tell him anything other than what he'd asked?
What was wrong with him?
He swallowed, temper immediately reduced to embers, "I- I won't tell, MK. You... You're right. You didn't owe him any answers."
An apology was on the tip of his tongue but he couldn't get it past his teeth.
Macaque looked taken off guard by the complete one-eighty, but he too calmed to respond warily, "Er... Alright. Good?"
Wukong tried to pull some semblance of an explanation together, "I just want what's best for MK. That shouldn't be at your detriment though. I just... I wasn't thinking."
Macaque scoffed, "There's a surprise. I still don't get why you flew off the handle like that."
Wukong crossed his arms and looked away - guilt warring with righteousness.
Macaque sounded incredulous, "You thought I was going to use my powers against the kid?"
"Don't act like that's unreasonable! It wasn't that long ago you were trying to kill us all! You can't expect me to forget that in just a couple of months!"
Macaque's tail lashed behind him, "Oh, of course! Why would I expect you of all people to think someone can change?"
"That doesn't mean you trust someone blindly! You think I would let you hang about my island if-"
"Your island!? This was just as much my home as it was yours!"
"Yeah it was! Past tense!"
"So what? Now I need to earn the right to call this place home again?"
"Yes! I mean, no! This is your home!" He made an aggravated noise, "Why are we fighting!?"
"You started it!"
"Well, I want to stop! I don't want to fight!"
"Then stop yelling!"
"You stop yelling!"
"Fine!"
"Fine!"
The both turned away from each other and Wukong felt his face heat up at how stupid this was. They literally couldn't say two words to each other without it dissolving into an argument.
He heard Macaque groan, "Look, I get why you don't trust me. The feeling's mutual but I just want to get on with my life. I don't want to hurt MK. Hell, I don't even want to hurt you most days. I'm done." He sighed heavily, before admitting quietly, "I'm tired. I... I just want to come home."
He decided to ignore that there were still some days where apparently Macaque did still want to hurt him. As he felt Macaque's sentiment keenly. He was probably the only one who knew what it felt like to be so tired, to be so desperate for peace.
They'd both been forced away for five hundred years suffering their respective punishments, albeit not concurrently. And he knew deep down a part of him desperately wanted Macaque to come home too.
"I'm... I get that. What it's like to be tired... To want to come home... I-"
Macaque cut him off sharply, "Don't." He then took a breath, "Not tonight. I- I can't handle this conversation right now. It won't end well."
"...will it ever end well?"
Macaque stayed silent for a moment before admitting, "I haven't listened. I don't want to know."
Wukong nodded, deciding it was time to leave, he offered a roundabout apology, "I... I could have handled this better. Shouldn't have come already thinking the worst." He tried to grin, "I've still got a lot to learn from MK, I guess."
Macaque played along, "I'll say." He looked at him seriously, "He's a good kid, Wukong."
It sounded like a warning but he understood, "Yeah, I know."
He wasn't going to mess this up. He could admit he'd started off as a poor excuse for a mentor and friend but he was going to do better. He was already doing better.
Macaque seemed to accept all that had went unsaid and turned away, and swiped up the knife he'd been using to cut fruit, "Well, alright then... I'm off. The apple orchard is calling my name."
With a final nod, he walked off, quickly disappearing amongst the shadows between the trees.
Well, that could have went worse. In fact, he'd even call that a tentative success. They really would need to figure out a way to communicate without getting so worked up almost immediately. Unfortunately, he couldn't lay all the blame at Macaque's feet for that one.
As he made his way back to the mountain, he reflected on Macaque's ears. He hadn't really meant to spy on him and MK earlier but he stood by his perhaps slightly overly protective nature when MK was around Macaque.
It'd been a long time since he'd seen them properly, he'd been surprised that Macaque had been so willing to show them to MK. He could easily remember hundreds of moments when he'd been distracted by their glow.
MK couldn't possibly appreciate what those ears were truly capable of. They could hear sounds you wouldn't have thought existed - the stretch of muscles, of plants growing, the frequency of stationary metals. Macaque could hear it all.
And he could pinpoint where those sounds were in space with terrifying accuracy - meaning a lack of visuals for the past and future was hardly a detriment. Sure he couldn't see the features of someone's face or clothes, couldn't appreciate any scenery but that was a truly minor detail.
In practice, Macaque could use this to predict someone's moves in a fight. Forever at least one step ahead of his opponent. It was why he had been able to perfectly fool everyone bar the Buddha of his imitation and how he was able to go toe to toe with him in a fight.
It wasn't an ability without flaws - it could quickly take its toll and as Macaque had said to MK, knowing the future didn't mean you could do anything about it but Macaque could use it with devastating effectiveness.
And don't get him started on hearing the past. Macaque could process and retain an insane amount of information, if he had the time and motivation he could learn everything about a person, could know their whole life and he had little issue with using that knowledge against someone.
And boy, was Macaque more than willing to suffer to get that information if he had the right motivation - take for example, a desire for revenge. Macaque knew things about his journey no-one else should know and he had previously not hesitated to hurt him with that knowledge.
And then of course, just his hearing for the present made him an impressive tracker. You'd be hard pressed to hide from the Six-Eared Macaque.
All this to say, Macaque was not someone you wanted as your enemy. He was extraordinarily skilled and he would happily spite himself just to cause you to suffer.
But, he tried to remind himself, when Macaque wasn't your enemy he could be an exceptional ally. Something, Wukong was slowly starting to hope they could one day be again - if not something more.