MK eyed his mentor warily as he held up a sledgehammer, never uttering a word.

He was getting tired of waiting.

Tired of trying to get Monkey King to open up and finally say something to him...

--

He had battled Spider Queen, and luckily Monkey King had actually shown up to punch an escape for them. He had scooped up everyone, silent as always, before picking up Sandy's small boat and dropping them into the water. MK remembered grinning, "Monkey King!"

The monkey grinned back in pure relief, then jumped onto his cloud. MK introduced him loudly, "Guys, this is Monkey King! Monkey King, this is Mei, Sandy, Tang, and Pigsy!"

The monkey turned bright red, waving stiffly as Tang fanboyed loudly, "OH MY WORD IT'S MONKEY KING, MK YOU LUCKY--"

Wukong suddenly turned and bolted, flying away on his cloud.

Mei huffed loudly, "Rude." MK laughed nervously, "He's uhm...really shy. His clones do the talking, uh, I've never actually heard him before..." Pigsy glared off into the distance, "And he calls himself your mentor. He has to communicate with ya, kid! He can't just keep running away."

MK wanted to defend the monkey, but...

--

The young hero groaned, picking up the sledgehammer, "So, I smash this wall?" Monkey King nodded, pulling on a goofy face. "...Okay. But why? Isn't this a mural of your friends..?" Wukong pulled out a whiteboard and marker, scribbling away before turning it toward his student; You need to practice. Without the staff, so you can build up true strength.

MK scrunched up his nose, realizing Wukong had dodged the question but decided not to point it out, "But I want to learn all the cool stuff!" Wukong snorted, hesitantly taking the hammer from MK's hands. He then swung back before sending the hammer crashing through the wall, obliterating a huge portion of the stone.

MK grinned, "Woah! So if I throw this hammer for long enough I can do this, too?" Monkey King nodded, and the young hero's smile fell as he realized the monkey kept avoiding eye contact besides glancing at him every now and then. It was weird because his clones did the exact opposite, never dropping their gaze from his eyes.

Was MK seriously that uninteresting?

--

"I don't get it! We've been training together for weeks! Why hasn't he said anything yet? And he rarely looks at me..." MK rubbed his arm absentmindedly, talking with Mei in Pigsy's Noodles.

The girl huffed, "Make him say something! You deserve better treatment than...this." Pigsy nodded, "Yeah, kid, you gotta make it clear he needs to respect you better." Before MK could reply, a huge boom rang out, and the young hero whipped his head around.

He hopped off his seat, ran outside, and looked up at a giant, shadow-purple monster. Tattered bandages floated and wrapped around its body, with one giant 'x' for an eye.

MK smirked, twirling his staff, "HERE...COMES--" Mei yelped, "Wait--" "MONKIE KID!!" He catapulted forward, aiming for the monster--

Only for the bandages to throw him toward the ground, creating a crater with his body. Mei facepalmed, "I said wait!" MK sat up and smiled awkwardly, "Yeah that's my bad."

A figure suddenly appeared, spinning a spiky staff and sending an immense gust of wind at the giant, turning it into a purple fog that flew away in the air. MK gasped, "What's Monkey King doing here?!" Mei rolled her eyes, "I thought he was retired. Go ask him, I'll let Pigsy and Tang know where you ran off to."

The brunette shot his best friend a grateful look before bolting away.

--

Macaque looked up at the sky, keeping track of his shadows when a voice called out to him, "Monkey King! What are you doing-- AHH--" Whoever had been calling him fell, and Macaque shrugged as he turned around, only to be met by a hyper brunette, "THAT WAS SO COOL!! YOU GOTTA TEACH. Me. Oooooh, you're not Monkey King."

Macaque laughed, "Nope, I'm Macaque. The Six-Eared Macaque. Uh, not sure why though. You're Monkie Kid, right?" MK beamed, "You know who I am?!" The shadow user nodded, "Yeah, I mean, the staff isn't just some stick anyone can wield."

MK blushed in embarrassment, "Oh, yeah."

"So...I'm gonna go--" The boy scrambled in front of the monkey, blocking his exit, "Wait! Could you teach me that fighting move you did?" Macaque hitched an eyebrow, feigning confusion, "Don't you already have a mentor? Monkey King?"

MK slumped slightly, "Yeah, but...I don't think he'd mind." Macaque grinned, "Y'know...Wukong and I go way back! He shouldn't mind too much. I mean, you can never have any mentors, right?"

MK nodded, losing his hesitance, "Yeah...Yeah! Besides, it sure beats bashing walls all day."

--

Wukong had noticed something...off with his student.

Every time he'd present a lesson he'd planned that day, including wielding the sledgehammer, MK would scoff or roll his eyes. As if either he or the lesson was too boring or easy. It kind of...hurt.

Wukong puffed out his chest, mimicking using the hammer before glancing at MK, waving a hand at the wall. However, instead of begrudgingly picking up the hammer, MK took out his staff and launched it, destroying the beautiful mural.

Wukong stared in shock before pulling out a marker and whiteboard with his hair, scribbling sloppily; MK where did you learn that?! Who taught you this?! Wielding all that power will tear your body apart!

The brunette scoffed after reading the board, "Of course. Despite how dangerous my new powers are you can't even warn me out loud. You know what? I'm DONE being treated with such little respect! Pigsy and Mei are right, I shouldn't put up with someone who doesn't even bother looking at me properly."

Wukong chittered in distress, trying to scribble on his board, but MK simply turned. And left.

Before Wukong could shut down, however, he suddenly noticed the smiling monkey on MK's jacket glow briefly before transforming. The magic signature hit the old sage like a train, only one person had magic like this.

Liu'Er Mihou,

The Six-Eared Macaque.

--

MK stared in shock as the giant monster turned into none other than Macaque. The shadow user punched MK, knocking out his powers and sending him crashing down. Before the young hero could escape the crater he was stuck in, his staff landed against his body, pinning him down.

"Wha..?"

Macaque cackled, eyes glowing as he floated in the air, "I should thank you...for giving me all of Monkey King's powers~!" MK thrashed around, desperately trying to lift his weapon, "Ohoho noooo... What's wrong? Can't lift the magic staff anymore? I guess you know what that means! There's nothing special about you after all. So much for training with Wukong, hm?"

MK felt tears form in his eyes as the monkey backed away, purple swirling around him, "I am sorry, though, you're honestly a really great kid! Buuut I can't go around leaving loose ends, now, can I? Welp! Nothing personal kid!"

Macaque dashed forward, a surge of power aiming for MK--

A sudden flash of golden light appeared, blocking the deadly blow. MK cried out in relief, "Monkey King!" The old sage grimaced, nodding at MK briefly, cheeks slightly dusted with blush. Shy as ever, MK couldn't help the bitter thought.

Macaque huffed, "Wukong. Hah, don't tell me you're here to save some kid?" Wukong stared up at Macaque with a foreign emotion emitting from his eyes. The shadow user screeched with rage, "Oh, what? Are you SO high and mighty your voice is too good for lowly beings to hear? HUH? Is that it?!"

Wukong's bottom lip twitched, tears shining in his eyes. Macaque growled, "You don't get to cry! YOU killed ME, you LEFT!! Then I find out you're hanging out with some new buddies--" Wukong suddenly chirped, silencing Macaque.

Tears ran down the hero's face as he continued chittering, trying his best to convey his thoughts out loud.

Macaque stared in stunned silence, sudden overwhelming realization hitting him in the gut, "...Can you...Gods, Wukong can you not speak?"

MK stared in shock as well, eyes wide and staring at the back of Wukong's head.

The older hero flinched, turning bright red as he continued to mutely cry before nodding once. The golden monkey turned around suddenly, walking over to MK and tapping the staff. "Monkey King...I'm so sorry! I accused you of being this-- This HUGE jerk and all this time--"

Wukong tapped the staff again, and MK sighed, "I can't pick it up." Macaque slowly descended behind them, still stunned.

Wukong created his marker and board, scribbling; Yes you can. You are weakened, but not powerless... remember your training! This is just like the hammer, push with stubborn strength and you will wield it again. I need to talk to Macaque, if you have any trouble just say so.

MK nodded, "Yeah, yeah! I won't let you down, you go make up with him. But if he tries anything-!"

Wukong snorted before turning toward Macaque, hesitantly writing on his board. Macaque sputtered, "Why did you leave me? Why can't you talk anymore? What--"

The golden monkey held up his board;

I didn't want to leave or betray you. I was leashed with a magical item, The Golden Circlet. And before that, I was trapped below a mountain. I honestly couldn't just go look for you. I didn't want to kill you, either, but...you attacked my group and the monk. I was bound by Buddha himself to protect the Golden Cicada no matter what. After your death...I completely stopped talking. And over the years I just...forgot how to form words.

Macaque shook his head, "No, no no no. Wukong, what do you mean by 'completely'? Were you already losing that ability? What did...What did they do to you..."

The circlet. You can ask the kid for books on it I don't... I don't want to talk about it.

Wukong hesitated before carefully writing, flipping over his board once more, patiently waiting for the shadow to read it.

I went silent because they would use it often to punish me, even if it was uncalled for. They wouldn't believe me. My words meant nothing. So why use them? And then you were killed... And so I figured; What is the point of using my voice if the one I loved so dearly will never be able to hear it again?

Macaque felt tears fall, his anger melting away into a bittersweet stab in his heart. All this time, Wukong had been suffering. His sun was forced to... To destroy his own moon...

A sudden blast and golden energy was their only warning as MK suddenly stumbled to their side, shamelessly reading Wukong's board.

"...Oh. Monkey King I...I had no idea and I just judged you I am so sorry." Wukong gave him a bittersweet smile before scribbling away; Please don't tell your friends. I don't mind if they think I'm a jerk, I just. I don't want them to know.

MK let out a short laugh, "Yeah, yeah I understand. So...what are you and Macaque now?"

Macaque sniffed, wiping his eyes with his sleeve, "I'm...not ready to forgive. Not yet. I'm still mad at you, Wukong. But..."

He slowly wrapped the mute hero in a hug, "Oh, I missed you, you stupid rock." Wukong hugged back, chirping softly, relieved to finally receive such a sweet touch after so many years...

--

MK stretched as Pigsy set a bowl in front of him, "Turns out the guy that fought the monster is actually an old friend of Monkey King's, Macaque. And now they're both training me with different things."

Mei hummed, "Neat, is he talkative?" MK shifted uncomfortably, "...Uh, yeah. He talks and stuff." Pigsy huffed, "You should invite him over, I wanna know who's teachin' ya how to beat up bad guys." MK slumped, "Fair I guess. Uhm...can we also...invite Monkey King?" Tang shrugged, "Cool with me. C'mon, Pigsy, you can get to better know him, too."

Mei rolled her eyes, "If I can chat with him, sure."

MK gulped, "Uh huh..."

--

Maybe MK shouldn't have invited Monkey King.

Macaque was chatting away, perched on top of Sandy with a plate of spring rolls in his hands. Meanwhile, Wukong was sitting in a corner, his face bright red. Mei headed over, a dark aura following closely behind.

"So! You're Monkey King?" She flashed him a smile, slightly ticked when he avoided her gaze, and simply nodded. She pouted, "So... Are you and Macky boy just friends or more?" Wukong's face practically glowed and his eyes widened dramatically, chirping in surprise. Mei sighed, "Okay, so I'll take that as currently just friends."

Wukong fiddled with his hands, and Mei noticed he hadn't actually eaten anything. She picked up a bowl of Lo Mein noodles and pressed it into his hands. The monkey jolted in surprise, glancing up at the girl. Mei sighed again, "Eat it."

The golden monkey bowed his head before slowly eating the meal.

Mei rolled her eyes.

Jerk.