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As the circle of gold descended on top of Sun Wukong’s head, he could already feel his mind going blank. It formed right to his skin and an all too familiar feeling of an unremovable object connecting to his body fueled him with unnecessary adrenaline.
“Monkie King!” MK shouted as he and Macaque looked towards him in horror.
A sharp ringing was heard as the figure that towered above the trio recited a spell that Wukong had been so eager to forget about. The crown began to shrink and dig into Wukong’s head with only small cracks and crunch’s to be heard under the reverberating sound of The Monkey King’s anguished screams.
“Wukong!” Macaque yelled as he and MK rushed to his side.
“Get it off, GET IT OFF!” Sun Wukong snarled as he clawed and scratched at his head, begging for a release from the agonizing heat and pain that was constricting his head.
The man whose shadow cast all three in darkness ceased his chanting. The crown began to loosen and returned to its rightful size, still painfully welded to The Monkey King’s head. Wukong’s scream and chokes became quieter as he clutched his head.
Macaque and MK grasped Sun Wukong’s shoulders, glaring pointedly at the figure that stood above them.
“Know that this will be your punishment. Defying the Emperor and offsetting the balance of the heavens will be an action you will regret for the rest of your lives, however short they may come to be.” The figure said as he held out his hand.
“Up yours, creep show!” MK yelled as Macaque pulled them all down into his shadow, the dark room transitioning into the sunset bathed light of Sun Wukong’s mountain house.
Wukong’s breathing was shallow and fast. His heartbeat wouldn’t allow time for rest as the heavy circlet of gold decorated his brow once again. All he could do was sit there on the floor, heaving and shaking with fear from the cursed accessory.
Macaque furrowed his brow and looked at Wukong with pain in his eyes. His gaze then landed on MK, whose face was just as pained as his own.
“MK, go and get Tang. We’ll be needing him.” Macaque said as he slid his hands across Wukong’s back and shoulders. He hooked their sides together and pulled The Monkey King to his feet.
MK was hesitant as he stared at Sun Wukong’s shivering body, but nodded and took off running out of the cavern. Macaque let go of Wukong as he shifted to stand on his own. He stabilized himself on a wooden support beam and scratched at his head violently.
“Wukong…are you…Will you be alright…?” Macaque asked hesitantly.
Wukong could only huff and sniffle as his shaking hands continued to try and pry the metal eyesore from his forehead. He turned to face Macaque. His face contorted in an expression so full of despair that Macaque could feel his own forehead throbbing with the same pressure.
“Mac…” Wukong whimpered, water welling behind The Monkey King’s unforgiving eyes.
“What do I do?!”
Macaque flinched and extended his hands toward Sun Wukong. He lightly grazed Wukong’s chest before pulling him closer in a tight embrace.
“Calm down Wukong, I’m right here.” Macaque stated firmly as Wukong gripped his clothing tightly. He dug his head into Macaque’s shoulder, the cold metal making his skin beneath it shiver from the familiar feeling.
“Can we stay like this…?” Wukong asked quietly, his grip tightening slightly.
Macaque relaxed and guided them back to the floor. He laid them both down and brought Wukong as close as he could.
“Will you be alright?” He repeated his question from before with certainty.
Wukong paused before nodding and rubbing his face deeper into Macaque’s chest.
“Don’t worry, it won’t last as long this time.” Macaque said. He moved his hands to run his fingers through Wukong’s hair, careful to avoid the spots near that damned crown.
Macaque glanced down to see Wukong fast asleep on him. He sighed and patted the Monkey King’s back softly, wishing him well like a calm before a massive storm.