(Macaque's food-snatching habit is inspired by RunningOnImpulse's story 'Poison' / Their series 'Lost Trust' on ao3)

MK sat down, both of his mentors kneeling in front of him.

"...So what's up..?"

Macaque sighed, "The Lady Bone Demon. Bud, she's bad news and Wukong saw her when he was captured, and I... She'll come for me sooner or later. And when she does, I have to go." MK's eyebrows shot up, "How long--"

"Woah-- Wait! Bud, I'll swing by and such, but I'm not exactly going to help her! But..." The shadow user glanced at the mute hero, "...Wukong's going to be gone for a while." The young hero looked at Wukong, "What? Why?" Wukong poked Macaque, not bothering with his usual game of charades or writing on a board.

"He's going to go track down a weapon to defeat her. Don't ask what it is, MK, you aren't ready for that just yet. And don't tell the others about Wukong's leave, it'll look sketchy, trust me. However, we can tell them about Lady Bone Demon." MK thought it over carefully, "Maybe. I don't know if we should tell them, at least not yet."

Macaque nodded stiffly, "Understood. Now come say goodbye to Wukong, he'll be departing soon."

MK felt his phone buzz, a notification that advertised some random game. The young man turned off his phone, instead turning back to the king and taking him into a big hug. The ginger let out an airy laugh and a huge grin, hugging back tightly. Macaque laughed as MK picked up his first mentor, spinning him around.

The duo finally let go of each other and Wukong held out his arms toward Macaque.

The black monkey snorted, giving him a brief hug, "Alright, off you go now!" Monkey King waved wildly as his cloud flew off into the distance.

--

MK smiled softly, reading Wukong's letter.

'Hey, Bud! Mac says you're learning super fast, I'm so proud of you! Keep up the good work, okay? I'm tracking down this temple, it's super big and deadly! But It'll help me track down the map I need so it's probably worth it. I'll visit later, same time as always.

-Wukong'

The king had been keeping in touch, sending notes and letters every day via hair clone, along with visually checking in with Macaque and MK using astral projection.

The young hero put the letter down, smiling softly.

--

Wukong ran a hand through unkept hair, trying to smooth it out.

His clothes were just as messy, showing off how busy he's been the past week. Traveling had taken a toll on him, and the king was sleep deprived. Well, more than usual, that is. He was getting better, though, with MK's arrival into his life and with how Macaque was living with him now. Just like when they were younger... before Wukong committed all of his stupid decisions.

The monkey dusted off his clothes, looking up at the sun to track down the temple's location, ignoring his sluggish movements as he flew forward.

--

MK ate his dumplings blissfully as Macaque stole a few from his plate.

It was an odd habit MK had grown used to, so he didn't bother reacting anymore as his second mentor shamelessly took a spoonful of his rice. At least he used his own spoon.

To be fair, though, it was only because MK made it clear that if he was going to eat off of his plate he at least needed to be cleaner about it. AKA washing his hands and using different utensils.

Pigsy huffed, "So. We haven't seen Monkey King around." MK swallowed, shrugging, "He's been really busy." Macaque nodded, smiling slyly, "Yup, he's on babysitting duty. It's that season up in Flower Fruit Mountain. I'm here because I don't want to babysit a hoard of younglings." MK held in a snort, knowing damn well Macaque hung out constantly with the little monkeys that inhabited his home.

Mei suddenly walked in, raising an eyebrow while holding up a letter, "Oh, really? Then why is he sending clones to deliver letters?" MK nervously stood up, "Not sure. I think it's so he can ramble about different stories from his adventures."

Tang perked up, "Oh? So he writes about his adventures?" MK hastily nodded, reaching out for the letter, "Yup!" Mei dodged, "Oh! So can I read it?" Macaque cracked a grin, "Oh no, Dragon Girl. MK's like Wukong's diary. Those stories are not for the public eye."

Mei's suspicion morphed into genuine curiosity, "...Blackmail."

"Mei-- Mei, NO--" MK latched onto her, but the girl had always been known for her inhuman speed. She opened the letter, scanning it over with her eyes as Macaque stood up to help--

"...These aren't past adventures."

Everyone froze as Mei's posture stiffened, "'Hey, Bud! I was right, that temple was huge, you should come to check it out sometime. The stars are also really bright out here, which is a bonus. And if I'm being honest, it's nice being away from the bustling city'... And it goes on."

MK pulled away from Mei, snatching the letter from her hands and shoving it into his pocket. "He's just out for a while, that's all!" Macaque nodded, "Yeah, he's just running a really important errand--"

Mei huffed angrily, "Seriously?! He's just using you guys! Who in their right mind just... Leaves?! If this errand was so important why would it be such a big secret? He told you not to tell us because he knows we're not completely trusting him!"

MK frowned, "No, he's not! He isn't using us! You're just jealous because I don't hang out with you as often because he can't stand social gatherings! Not to mention of course he doesn't want to be in the same room as your hostile ass!"

Macaque's fur bristled, "Kid--"

"NO! I understand you want to protect me, and in conclusion Macaque, too--" Pigsy interrupted, "For crying out loud, kid! He's hurt Macaque in the past! It's literally in the book about that stupid pilgrimage!" MK stomped his foot, ready to boil over and implode. He wanted to desperately stand up for his teacher, to explain how he didn't have a choice, how it had hurt him the most out of every other experience--

Macaque shook his head slowly at his student.

It was not their story to share. It was not their... disability... to expose.

It didn't matter how lightly they glazed it, being mute put Wukong at a disadvantage. He knew that, it was why he never referenced his silence as it being that he had lost the ability to form words centuries ago in his intense depression. It put him at a disadvantage when socializing, it meant he could easily be taken advantage of, and it meant he would be looked down on.

There were many reasons Wukong had pleaded with macaque and MK to simply let them hate him instead of exposing his complicated situation.

MK instead glared at his family, turning on his heel and storming off into his room.

Macaque sighed, "I'll...be taking my leave." He fell into his shadow, leaving behind MK's mostly finished food in his place.

--

Pigsy and Mei immediately erupted into a panicked conversation, "How could Monkey King do this? He just left--" "At least he has Macaque training him--" "--And now he's turning on us! His family!"

Tang sat silently, he was... confused.

Yes, Monkey King was notorious for making abrupt decisions, but they had reasons. Big ones. Reasons at least Macaque knows, and not only that. If Wukong left so abruptly, apparently going on 'vacation' or something, why would Macaque be so calm about it?

Surely he would've been mad, after all, they were trying to reconnect from what the shadow user had told the group on multiple occasions.

Not only that; The letter had mentioned a temple.

Why would Monkey King go to a temple..?

--

Wukong looked around MK's room, chirping for him.

MK perked up from his bed, trying to imitate a chirp in response. Wukong beamed at the sound, immediately heading over. Macaque plopped down from the ceiling via shadow portal, landing next to MK, his usually hidden six ears out in their full glory.

Wukong held up a clue he had gathered from the temple proudly, MK looked over at the Rubix cube-like item, "...That's great, Monkey King."

The ginger drooped slightly, "No, Wukong, he isn't mad at you. He just had a... very intense disagreement with the others." Monkey King nodded slowly in understanding, and simply sat down with the others.

Macaque and MK sighed, relaxing as the golden silhouette's warmth released the tension in their minds.

--

Nezha glared down at the celestial monkey, "That seal was made to keep beings like you away."

Wukong rolled his eyes, taking a fistful of hair, and glaring at the eternal child. Nezha bared his teeth, "It matters not how many you create to aid in your battle, I will not allow--"

A chair suddenly went flying toward his head, and the deity barely dodged.

The third lotus prince stared in stunned silence, "...Was... WAS THAT A CHAIR?!" Wukong bared his teeth, crouching down, and then screeching ravenously like the monkey he is, throwing a whole table next. Nezha yelped, maneuvering around it.

Wukong kept up the pattern, creating and throwing all kinds of furniture. At one point, Nezha had to leap over a whole refrigerator.

The child god glared at Wukong, noticing how they had switched places. He suddenly screamed as an array of couches came crashing down, cutting off any escape chances and pinning him down. Nezha yelled in anger as Wukong positioned himself in front of the map, "SUN WUKONG IF YOU DO THIS WE COULD DIE!!" Wukong turned to him, staring blankly with tired eyes.

The deity stared just as silently, taking in the sage's pale face. His freckles, or 'sun spots' as they were reportedly called, were absurdly prominent against his unhealthy complexion. His clothes had experienced better days, and his hair was unkept.

It unsettled Nezha.

The king suddenly turned around, plunging his hands into the seal. White light appeared, exploding outward as his hands wrapped around the map, ignoring the searing pain.

After all, it was nothing compared to what life had already done to him.

And his life meant nothing if he couldn't be the weapon the world needed.

--

Nezha sat up, dazed and in shock.

Wukong lifted the scroll up, showing it to Nezha before bowing his head as an apology.

A blue blast of energy suddenly swept through, bringing with it a cold reminder of why he took the map in the first place. Wukong used whatever he had left to form a cloud, speeding away as Nezha cried out, "YOU HAVE DOOMED US ALL!!"

--

MK yelled, "IT'S HER!! MAC--"

Macaque opened a large portal, taking in the whole group except for MK, "Way ahead of you, Bud!" The shadow user transported them onto Sandy's ship, "GET THIS THING IN THE AIR; I'LL EXPLAIN WHO SHE IS LET'S GO!!"

MK stared at the machine, deeply unsettled by the cold wave of magic it emitted.

He knew Macaque couldn't expose himself, especially when they both knew she would use him later on. So he stood up straight, spinning his staff around in his hands, waiting.

--

The young hero screamed, panicking as the ice crept up his limbs, taking his staff.

His powers were gone, and he pleaded helplessly as tears streamed down his face. "You can rest now, child, knowing you have fulfilled your purpose." She suddenly perked up, seething, "Sun Wukong."

A golden light appeared before MK, taking him away from the cold encasing his body. Away from the staff.

MK looked up, crying out, "Monkey King!" Wukong looked back with a smile, then turned around to glare at the demoness. The young man tuned out her speech, instead taking in his mentor's horrible state.

His hair was tangled and puffed in the wrong areas, taking on a strangled appearance.

Wukong suddenly grabbed his student, using his somersault cloud to run away. MK grabbed on tightly, and the monkey ignored how his body ached, instead looking around the clouds for a safe place to land. They wouldn't be able to stay in the air for much longer.

The monkey felt hot tears on his back, and guilt stabbed him straight through his chest.

In a wave of relief, he spotted a ship. Sandy's ship. He flew towards it desperately, turning around to grasp MK's body, wrapping around it as the crashed into the wooden floor.

The pair rolled before abruptly stopping, and it was only then that Wukong let MK go. He chirped from the floor, blinking up blearily at his student. MK nodded, sniffling, "I... I'm okay."

Wukong sat up slowly as Mei snatched MK into a hug, and watched with a bittersweet feeling as the kid's family dotted on him, including Macaque.

But before Macaque or MK could make their way over, Pigsy stomped his foot, "What. Was. THAT?! You left MK to fend off some super deadly demon and come back to what? Play 'hero'? You're his mentor! You're the one who's supposed to protect him from her!"

Wukong stared down at the ground, too exhausted to get up, to move. 

Pigsy scoffed, "Nothing? You have nothing to say?" Tension grew and Mei cried out, "Why does MK have to clean your messes?! Retirement? How was your vacation as Macaque worried about her taking him? How was your relaxing little adventure as MK anxiously awaited the day she would appear? He TRUSTS you! Defends you--"

"ENOUGH."

Everyone snapped up at Sandy, who exhaled, "Guys, why don't we let Monkey King explain himself?"

Macaque stepped forward, kneeling down and taking Wukong's hands into his own, "...They have to know. This isn't fair." MK inhaled deeply, stepping next to his battered mentor, "He's mute. He can't say anything. He didn't want you to know and you guys just... assumed."

The group, besides Sandy, looked away guiltily, it was true. They'd assumed. They had assumed a mute hero was manipulating and ditching MK and Macaque. They had assumed his silence and obvious lack of social skills as him disregarding them.

It hadn't occurred to them that he just simply couldn't say a word and that he simply didn't know how to socialize.

"...And Monkey King left so he could track down a weapon to defeat her."

Tang adjusted his glasses, "Firstly, we're sorry. We assumed all kinds of unflattering things and we're very, very sorry. Secondly, you need some first aid. Then we can discuss your plan. Is that okay?"

Wukong looked up in surprise, hesitantly nodding, too tired to feel embarrassed.

--

Mei carefully wrapped his arm as he unrolled a map.

Macaque nodded at Wukong, "This is the map to The Four Rings of Samadhi--" Tang visibly vibrated, squealing and bursting with information. So Macaque allowed the scholar to info-dump on the Samadhi fire. MK perked up, "Oh, so, how did you get this?"

Wukong smirked, making a blowing-up motion with his hands before making two messy buns on his hand and pretending to hold a spear.

Macaque barked out a laugh, "YOU FOUGHT NEZHA AND BLEW UP?! Wukong you little menace!" The ginger beamed mischievously, then he held up four fingers. He made circular motions, pointed at the map, and held up four fingers again.

MK hummed, "Four... Circles. Map... Uh... OH!! Four rings?" His injured mentor nodded. MK scratched his chin, peering down at the map, "But there are only three locations..?" Wukong fiddled with his fingers--

Macaque abruptly stood up, fur puffed, "She's looking for me. I have to go-- I'll be back, I swear!" He gave his student and Wukong a quick hug, waved at the others, and proceeded to disappear into the shadows.

Wukong bowed his head, distressed. He chirped softly and MK chirped back, this time mimicking it better, "He'll be okay, Monkey King. I'm sure of it."

--

He stood before the demoness, spotting the staff encased in ice.

"...You've been busy..."

The spirit in the child's body descended, staring him down, "You will be of use to me. Do your job correctly, don't betray me, and you will be safe."

Cold chains snaked around him, and the monkey yelped at their freezing touch. "You will bring me Sun Wukong and his successor, do you understand?" Macaque struggled, "Alright, alright!"

She dropped him, throwing a silver item at his feet.

A compass.

"This will help you find him. I'm sure you'll love beating him into the ground, but do bring him in one piece." Macaque glared at the floor, feigning rage, "I'll do my best to keep him intact for you."

Thank Buddha she didn't know he was on their side...

For now.