MK P.O.V In the scroll

I couldn't believe my eyes, we're in the memory where the Journey to the West took place. I was over the top excited! I can't believe we're in one of the chapter of the journey! I was looking at the how different the buildings are from the ones I'm so used to seeing everyday, while I was looking around, Mei was on her phone but was upset because there's no signal

"Whoa! I'm in the past! Which means..." I went towards a vendor who looks just like the vendor in the present "One ancient souvenir, please" I placed some stuff in my pocket on the counter. Then the vendor started inspecting them

"These aren't chickens. And what are these? Demonic accessories!" The vendor shouted and guys with pointy spears appeared, and I started to felt nervous. Mei quickly grabbed me and we ran through the alleys, we finally stopped running after a minute. Then we heard footsteps behind us, we quickly turned around and saw Azure Lion in astral projection and Iris who's actually here

"You made it safely! Great. MK, Mei, welcome to the 7th Century Chang'an. I trust you've experienced astral projection before?" Azure Lion asked

"Yep" I said

"No. Is this what dying is like?" Mei asked sounding scared

"No, it's not" Iris said bluntly with her arms crossed

"A little astral projection never hurt anyone. Listen, I don't have much time. Remember how I've told you the scroll has a protective curse?" Azure Lion asked

"That it'll try to come find us and destroy us? Uh-huh, yeah. Wasn't really gonna forget that part" I said, but I still felt scared on what'll happen if the curse did find us and destroy us before we could find our friends and Monkey King 

"Good. Try not to draw too much attention to yourself. The curse will be drawn to any imperfections it detects within its stories. So, for starters, we need to do something about those" Azure Lion pointed at our clothes, and Mei started squealing with excitement

"New outfits?" Mei asked with excitement in her voice

"You betcha. I asked Iris to look for some clothes for you both and she's also gonna be traveling with you both" Azure Lion said

"Really?!" Both Mei and I said in unison

"Like I had a choice. Anyway, your clothes for this era is in that trash pile over there" Iris pointed at the nearby trash pile

"Finding your friends won't be easy, but-" Then Azure Lion sentence stopped when he notices me changing already and Mei cannonballs into the pile"Oh, come on! At least let us turn around first!" Azure Lion said as he and Iris quickly looked away

After changing, we started walking through town with Iris, who is now part of our group. I was looking at the instructions that Azure Lion gave me

"Alright, find our friends, defeat the curse and get back to good old-fashioned story of the week" I said as I put away the instructions "But where to start?"

"You're the big brain boy for this legends and stuff. Got any idea on what chapter the Journey to the West?" Mei asked

"Uh... I kinda skipped to the parts with Monkey King in them, but it's fine. Everything will be fine!" I said

"So much for a lead" Iris said

"Did you hear? Emperor's cousin... What's his name?" The guard was trying to remember the name

"Uh, Tang Sanzang" The second guard said as he remembered the name

"Yeah, that's the one. He's been sent to the West to find some ancient texts or something" The first guard said

"He's not gonna last 2 days in the wilderness" The second guard said

"Táng... Gasp! Táng is Tang!" I said

"Gasp! Our Táng is named Tang!" Mei said as we quickly left for the wilderness to find Tang

Iris P.O.V

When both MK and Mei left, I was about to leave too when the same guard spoke

"Oh yeah, I also heard there's a beautiful woman coming from a different land, and I was sad to hear that she was actually a goddess" The guard said, and I stopped in my tracks

"Really? Aw man, makes me wish I was a Celestial being or something" The second guard said

'I see... This must be before Konohana met the Great Monk or anyone' I thought to myself, and I gritted my teeth

"Just you wait Konohana, once I find you, I'll be the one to end your life" I smirked evilly as the ink from my hand started to form a inky claws "But for now, I'll help them find their pathetic friends" I said as I turned hand turned back to normal, and I ran to catch up with both MK and Mei who ran into the forest

No One P.O.V In the forest - Sunset

MK and Mei were searching around the forest to find Tang, then after a minute of looking

"MK! Look!" Mei pointed at two demons and Tang who was in a protective bubble

"It's Mr. Tang! Hey, Mr. Tang! Wow, nice gold jangly stick. You gonna use it to beat these guys up?" MK asked

"Oi! Stay out of this, human boy!" The male demon said as he drops Tang into a pot

"Ain't nothin' getting between us and this delicious monk meat" The female demon said as she adds meat into the pot

"Monk meat? Do they mean Tang meat?" Mei asked as MK makes a disgusted look

"Violence is never the answer. If it is here I am destined to meet my demise, I shall do so with dignity" Tang Sanzang said

"What?!" Both Mei and MK looked shocked, they were about to fight the demons, but Iris ran passed them, and started fighting them with a scythe

After the fight, the two demons ran away with their pot

"Yeah! You better run, you fools!" Mei shouted at them, and Mei looked at Iris who made her weapon disappear "That was so cool, Iris!"

"Uh... Thanks. Can you please back away? You're invading my personal space" Iris said as she pushed Mei away from her

"Tang! Oh, thank the Great Sage you're all right!" MK said as he hugged Tang Sanzang "Why didn't you fight those guys? I mean, they were weaklings. Even you could have taken them. Am I right?"

"Young ones and kitsune, although I appreciate your assistance, I wish you would have settled the matter without violence" Tang Sanzang said

"Uh... That's a weird way to say thank you" MK said

"Your outward actions reflect your inner state. You three are filled with torment, aggression, and hyperactivity. May you meditate that you can reflect on your past actions and find inner peace. Many blessings. I must be off" Tang Sanzang said

Iris's eyebrow was twitching with anger

"This is what I get for saving this guy from being devoured? Maybe I should've left him to get eaten" Iris said sounding angry and looked ready to pull out a weapon

"C-Calm down Iris!" Mei tries to calm her down

"Uh... Tang, It's us! MK and Mei the lovable lil scamps. Ya friends!" MK said

"Friends? No" Tang Sanzang said and lightning struck both MK and Mei "All earthly connections must be put aside in order to unburden one's spirit. Many blessings. I must be off" With that said, he left the trio behind

"Uh... Did he just slam us for having friends?" MK asked

"Where does he get off?! Hyperactive. I'll show him hyperactive!" Mei said, who was still angry

"Wait, Mei!" MK used his Golden Vision on Tang Sanzang "It looks like Tang is trapped inside the body of the Great Monk Tang Sanzang"

"Tang's past life?" Mei asked

"That's correct" Iris said as she finally calmed down

"Then how do we get our Tang back?" Mei asked

"Simple. Try triggering something that'll bring him back" Iris said

"But what?" MK asked

"That's something only you guys should know since I know nothing about your friend" Iris said

"Let's grab him!" MK shouted

MK and Mei were about to grab Tang Sanzang, but someone stopped them and Iris quickly made her ears and tail vanish

"Oh, no you don't! Get away from the Monk, demon spawn!" A man said, but soon realized that MK and Mei were not demon spawn "Oh, you're just children and a lady, so regular spawn. My apology, O wise Monk. Oh, perhaps you'd like to lodge at my home for the evening to get away from those, you know, fiends"

"Oh, we'd love to" MK said, and Mei dragged him away

"MK, what are you doing?!" Mei whispered

"Go with me for a moment. What if we wake up our Tang, we need to let the story play out. If we finish whatever business Monk needs doing, then we'll get back our Tang!" MK explained his plan

"MK, that is genius!" Mei said

"For once, I agree" Iris said, and they turned around to look at the man and Tang Sanzang

"And you won't even know we're there" MK said

"Shotgun on the big bed!" Mei said as she ran ahead

"Shotgun on the big bed- Aw, nah, you got it, you got it" MK said as he went to catch with Mei. Then Iris sighed at the two

"Why am I left in charge watching these two again?" Iris asked as she followed them

At night

Once they got to the man's house, it was already dark out, and a woman opened the door

"May I introduce my wife, Jing" The man introduced his wife

"Hello, O Wise Monk" She greeted the monk but she gritted her teeth when she saw MK, Mei and Iris "And two children and one young lady I didn't know were coming" Then she glared at her husband

When they got inside the house, Jing served them a bowl of meat stew, and Tang Sanzang gags, and gently pushed the bowl away

"Mmm! This is the best mystery meat stew I have ever had!" Mei said as she continues to eat

"Thanks, auntie" MK thanked Jing

"Oh, uh, no stew for me, please. I'm a strict vegetarian. Eating flesh is an unvirtuous act against the body" Tang Sanzang said

"But we can still eat, right?" Mei asked

"Obviously we can, we're not monks" Iris bluntly said as she continued to eat her meal

"Worry not, young sir" Then a ghost of a grandpa appeared next to Tang Sanzang, and scaring both Mei and MK off their seats as they looked at the ghost "Allow me to fix you something else" The ghost said as he picked up the bowl, but it slips through his hands, and ended up breaking "Oh dear, silly ol' clumsy grandpa. I'll go get a broom"

"Gasp! The Monk's unfinished business is the ghost's unfinished business! Two plots, one stone, baby!" MK said and the married couple bowed their heads to the Tang Sanzang

"Forgive us. We've lured you here under false pretenses, O Wise Monk" Jing apologized

"It's my grandfather. He's a sweet old thing, but we asked you here in hopes you might guide his spirit to move on" The man said

"So in other words, an exorcism?" Iris bluntly said as she lifted up her eyebrow

"Oh! Don't get us wrong, he's an absolute treasure, but..." Then Jing cut off her husband

"This has been going on for years. Hundreds of smashed China sets, wailing at all hours of the night, and floating in unannounced. We love him, he's gotta go" Jing said

"Oh, it's hard to hold things when you don't have bones or skin anymore" The ghost grandpa said, and Mei laughed

"I like this guy" Mei said

"I guess I should leave, but it's just so hard to say goodbye" The ghost grandpa said as he started to cry

"Earthly connections can only weigh us down. Of course I will help. It's the least I can do to repay your generous hospitality" Tang Sanzang said

Everyone gathered around, the ghost grandpa is in the spell circle and Tang Sanzang was concentrating for the ritual. Then MK groans in boredom

"Can't we blow through this a little faster?" MK asked

"Everything in its right time, everything in its right place. Don't touch a thing, it's working" Tang Sanzang said

Then suddenly MK experienced a vision. A inky figure appears next to MK before quickly disappearing, then shows Wukong, and a rock that breaks. MK got scared of the sudden vision that he accidentally kicked Tang Sanzang's staff. The ritual circle that was once golden, has changed into a ghostly blue

"Whoops! Sorry! Uh, my bad! Get on outta here, nice Ghost Grandpa, sir. Go!" MK said

"Go? Go?! I'm not going anywhere!" Then the kind ghost grandpa's form changed, he became huge with big muscles

"Oh crud" MK said as the blue glow surrounds MK, and he gets thrown around the room. Mei took out her sword to fight, but Tang Sanzang stopped her

"No! No violence!" Tang Sanzang said

"You're kidding, right?" Mei shouted, then the same glow surround Mei and now she's being tossed around the room like MK

"Tsk! There are times when violence isn't necessary, but now isn't the time!" Iris said as she summoned her scythe, she went to attack the ghost, but her body ended up getting controlled by the ghost and got tossed around. The same glow surrounded Jing and her husband

"Pops, no!" Jing tries to plea, but didn't work

"If y'all don't like me hangin' round here, then maybe you should move out! I'm not leaving my home!" The ghost grandpa said

"T-Tang! You have to do something!" MK said

"But I made a vow to never harm another soul" Tang Sanzang said

"Not everything is life is black and white. Sometimes we need to use our power to protect people we care about" MK said

"B-But... But all earthly connections must be put aside in order to-" Tang Sanzang was to finish his sentence, but was cut off by MK

"It's never easy, but being there for your friends when they need you is what being a hero is all about" MK said as he was getting tossed around still

"The sentiment is lame!" The ghost grandpa shouted and Tang Sanzang heard something within himself

"One day, I will become someone they can depend on, the way that I can always depend on them" The voice said as the imagines flashed through his mind, the power freed everyone from the ghost's grasps "Aaah! My glasses! I can't see a thing!" Then MK handed Tang his glasses "Oh, thank you" Once Tang put his glasses on, he saw the ghost in front of him

"Aaah! G-G-Ghost!" Tang screamed in fear, and both Mei and MK hugged Tang

"Mr. Tang, you're back!" MK said

"Now we can die together" Mei said

"Interesting way of feeling happy" Iris said as she sweat drop

Then Tang started walking towards the ghost grandpa

"Looks like the magic boy finally got the nerve to fight!" The ghost grandpa said

"L-Listen you. Stop holding on to the past. It's time to go!" Then the ghost grandpa screamed in Tang's face, but Tang didn't back down "But what I said before 'earthly connection can only weigh you down'. Well, I don't believe it. Your time with your family was precious, and nothing will ever take that away. The memories we make with the ones we love, they're what lifts us up. Your time here is over. But that doesn't mean your story is finished. You're not being cast out or pulled down. You are being lifted up. The next chapter is calling you to start a new adventure. It's time to answer the call!" Tang said as the golden ritual circle appeared and the ghost grandpa started to cry

"You're right. I can't keep holding on to the past when I can't even hold on to a plate" Then the ghost grandpa returned to his harmless form "See? No bones, no skin. Okay, bye" With that said, the ghost grandpa finally passed on

"Bye-bye boneless, skinless grandpa" Mei said

"I can't believe that worked!" MK said as he let out a breath of relief

"If that was destined to go wrong, then it would have" Tang said

"Now he's starting to sound like that dumb monk" Iris said as she made her scythe disappear

"I'm sorry, but who are you?" Tang asked

"Iris, and I'm a kitsune" That's all she said as her fox ears and tail reappeared on her

"I'm sure we'll get used to her" Mei said

The next morning

As the sun rose up, MK and the others started to leave

"Thank you y'all for everything, brave warriors!" The man thanked them

"And please don't come back" Jing said

"Whatever, just don't come crying to another monk if another ghost comes to your home again" Iris said, scaring the couple

"Iris, you shouldn't scare them like that" Tang said

"Don't care" Iris said

"Anyway, Tang, are you ready for this?" MK asked

"Azure's instructions seem clear enough. But if our bond of friendship is strong, we'll always find our way back to one another" Tang said as he read the instructions, and he put the instructions in his sleeve. Tang took a deep breath, once his staff hit the ground, a loud ring was heard and they were inside a golden bubble

"Alright, off to the next chapter to find our friends. Here!" Mei started off

"Comes!"

"Monkie Tangs!" Then they ended somewhere volcanic with lava spurting up

To be continued in Pig-napped!

https://youtu.be/ORIu-E_gDu0