Chapter Text
"You're not in this mess! Everything I did, I was doing it for us!" Wukong gritted his teeth, his hand clenching into a fist.
"I never asked for this! You did it for yourself! You've become like this...obsessive demon!" Macaque roared, the ground shaking from his rage. "I told you going against The Jade Emperor was a bad idea. But- No! Wukong doesn't listen to ANYONE! He just does whatever he wants!"
The dark monkey pulled at his fur, releasing a frustrated shout. "Agh! I don't even know you who are anymore," Macaque's voice cracked, watery eyes gazing into Wukong's.
"Because...you sure as hell ain't the same demon I said yes to. You put yourself here, not me."
Macaque clenched his hands into fists, squishing and ruining the peach in the process. He threw the ruined peach aside, walking off. Macaque fell into a shadow portal, leaving Wukong all alone.
"Fine! Leave, See if I care!"
Macaque dropped to his knees after portaging himself away from that place and right back to Flower Fruit Mountain. The same place where he and Wukong first met. The same place where he fell in love with him.
And...where he proposed.
Macaque lets out a loud roar and sank to his knees, collapsing in front of the cottage as he curled himself up in a ball. 'Why, why the hell wouldn't he just listen to me!' He thought, growling as he dug his nails into the dirt, hot tears stinging his eyes. His ear twitched hearing the faint sound of soft chirping. He looks to see the resident monkeys surrounding him, wondering what could be wrong with the shadow demon.
He wipes his tears with his sleeve, Hugging the resident monkeys as many of them as he could. "Sorry guys, your king not going to be home for a while." He said.
The mountain monkeys chirped sadly and nuzzled him in comfort. Macaque wasn't quite sure why he's still here. Flowerfruit mountain, it's a place he never really wanted to go back to. Heck, he could leave if he wanted too.
But...he couldn't.
"Hey, don't worry little guys," Macaque smiled softly, shifting his position as one climbed into his lap. "I'm not going anywhere. Somebody's gotta make sure you all are taken care of."
—One Year Later—
“And as the venom enters the frog's body, the agonizing and sinking frog asks the scorpion, "Why? Now we'll both drown? And the scorpion replied, "Because this is my nature." Macaque finished telling a shadow puppet tale of a frog and a scorpion. The lights dimmed from his magical shadow lantern and he tucked it away into his sleeve.
The gurgling laughter and tiny clapping can be heard, Macaque looks down to see a toddler with fiery red hair that was held in a pony tail. "So, you enjoyed my little tale of woe, nephew?" Macaque crowed, lifting the baby high into the air. Red Son squealed in delight, waving his hands and feet.
Macaque lightly toss Red Son into the air. He carefully caught him and drew him back to his chest.
”I take it the both of you are having fun?”
Macaque looked to see his old friend, Princess Iron Fan leaning against the wall near the entrance, an amused look on her face.
“Well of course we are, I was just doing a little play for the little one.”
"Also, I don't know if that is an appropriate tale to tell to an infant." Princess Iron Fan said.
Macaque simply shrugged his shoulders, “Well it's not like he'll remember it, and besides he loves my shadow theater, isn't that right chubby face?" He cooed, gently poking Red Son on his nose. The baby let out a small laugh grabbed hold of one of his fingers, sucking on them.
“Thank you again for watching him Liu Èr, things are getting tough around here as it is.”
He laughed and waved his paw. “Aw it’s no big deal, I’m always happy to watch over this little fire star.” He smiled softly, Red Son looked up at the shadow demon, reaching out and yanking out his hair.
"Oh dear."
“No, I-I'm okay, I-m fine!” A pained smile appeared on the simian's face, he hands the baby back to Iron Fan. The ex celestial winced at the bald spot. “Ah, Well, there’s worse places to leave off. Say goodbye to Macaque, Son.”
“Buh buh…” Red Son, already starting to feel sleepy, held up one hand and waved it. Macaque grinned and waved back and transformed into a bird taking off into the air.
Oh man, babysitting is hard work.
Macaque soared through the air in bird form on his back to Flower Fruit Mountain. Once he makes through the main entrance he de-transformed and landed on the ground. He placed his hand on the waterfall entrance, splitting open and goes inside.
He’s immediately greeted by the happy chirps of his fellow mountain monkeys. "Good evening ladies." Macaque softly called, the female monkeys chirped happily, nuzzling up against him. Some of the babies climbed up on him like he was a tree and gave him kisses and smooches.
”Okay, okay, knock it off. I’m happy to see you all guys too.” Macaque laughed, gently setting them down with his tail as they scurried back to their mothers. He hate to admit it, but he now knows the struggle Sun Wukong had to go through taking care of these little guys.
Hmph, Wukong.
It’s been years since he’s seen the “great sage equal to heaven” The last time he’s heard of him was that he was free from his imprisonment and was traveling with the monk, Tang Sanzang and the other pilgrims to a Journey to the West.
‘Journey to the West…that name will never catch on.’
Macaque shakes his head at the thought. “No, no point in thinking about that.” He muttered, a sad frown on his face. He stretched his arms and went inside.
He needs a nice, long rest.
The next day Macaque woken up early to began his usual chores around the island. Helping the baby monkeys, picking peaches, and just taking care of any areas that needed tending.
"I've heard it said, That people come into our lives, For a reason. Bringing something we must learn..~" Macaque hummed a tune as he plucked the peaches of the tree and placed them in a basket. He gasped as n surprise when one of the small monkeys jump onto his shoulder. "Hey, cmon you guys, I'm doing chores here." He chuckled.
All of a sudden, his ears twitched, hearing the faint sounds of footsteps. “Oh hell no..” There’s someone on the mountain. Someone who probably isn’t here for peaceful reasons.
Great, just great.
“Who the hell would be dumb enough to break in here.” He growled, he closed his eyes and sat down cross-legged, his ears were flared out completely with purple streams of magic surrounding them.
He was very thankful for having very good hearing. He let the unimportant details filter out, only focusing on the unfamiliar voices.
“Where is he..?”
Maybe he doesn’t live here anymore…?”
”We gotta do something..!”
The warrior’s eyes snapped open upon hearing the danger. The voices were close, wait a minute…They were heading towards his way. He could see a black shadow creep through the bottom of the mountain.
Macaque then charged towards the danger and tackles the intruder to the ground. He skidded across the ground, his cudgel pressed against their neck.
“Leave this mountain now before I tear you to shreds!” Macaque yelled at the intruder, his eyes glowing purple.
“No, no please don't hurt my beautiful face it's all I have." The intruder pleaded, his sleeves covering his face.
The intruder appeared to be a dragon demon with green scales on their face, has long white hair with two green streaks, green eyes, and round green eyebrows. Their hair is partially kept up in a bun. He noticed there wearing a white hanfu with a gold collar and green belt, with a spring green cloak with a green hoof design at the sleeves.
Macaque squints his eyes, trying to see if he recognizes him. The smell of smoke and dragons made it a dead giveaway.
He knows this person. It was the ‘daughter’ of the Dragon of the East.
"Wait a minute, I know you. You're that pretty girl that's been traveling with the monk and Wukong." Macaque said.
The white haired stranger chuckled nervously. “Actually I'm a guy but I do get confused for a lady, I mean not that I don’t mind because apparently I am strikingly beautiful according to Kui Mul—Gah!!" He pressed his cudgel against the dragon’s neck, cutting off his breathing.
"If you don't tell me why the hell you're here, you're going to be plucked. Very...very slowly." He reached out to his face and plucked one of his green scales, causing him to grunt in pain.
One thing the warrior learned about dragons is that their scales may look beautiful at first glance but they’re sensitive. One pluck and they start screaming in pain.
”One..” He plucked another, “Two…” And then another. He reached for another scale.
"Okay, okay! It's Wukong, that's why I'm here. It's Wukong and he needs your help!" Ao Lie gasped. Macaque scoffs, couldn't believe what his six ears are telling him.
"Oh really?" Macaque pulls away as the green dragon gasps for air, breathing. "Well I'm sorry but whatever mess he got himself into now he can get himself out."
"No wait, you don't understand—"
"No, You don't understand pretty boy. I am done getting myself into his countless messes, I've tried countless times that trying to dethrone the Jade Emperor and going against heaven was going to end bad. But did he ever listen? No!!" He stood and turned away from the dragon kin, a scowl on his face. “So whatever mess the oh-so great sage has gotten into now, tell him he can handle himself.”
Ao lie was silent for a moment, dusting the dirt and grass off his robe, and then he spoke. "If that's how you feel, you can tell him that yourself."
Macaque tilted his head in confusion and was about to say something, until he sniffs the air, the scent of something metallic filled his nostrils...
Wait a minute….is that..?
The black demon slowly turned, the dragon kin stepped aside and Macaque gasped at the sight of him. The monk Tripitaka, and his other companions, Zhu Bajie and Sha Wujing came in carrying an unconscious Sun Wukong....
Covered in blood.