Monkey King smirked, feigning a yawn as MK swung at him, "Oh, COME ON! I'm sure I'll get you this ti--"

The king suddenly ducked down, leaping over his student. MK grinned, his teacher had landed in front of a wall of loose rocks; He was cornered! The young hero threw himself forward, wielding the staff as he brought it down.

Monkey King leaped upward, leap-frogging across his student and using his tail to shove him into the wall. The loose soil and rocks rained down, trapping the young man. MK sighed, "Oh, C'MON!! I thought YOU were the one cornered!" Wukong nodded in agreement, then lifted an eyebrow, pointing at MK.

The young hero sighed, "Okay, so you were cornered...but then you moved. You used my moves against me and turned the tables. Clever." He pouted as Wukong helped him up, the monkey was exhaling air with a grin on his face, a soundless laugh.

MK huffed at his mentor's teasing laughter, brushing off dirt before panicking, "OH SHOOT!! I'm supposed to be with my friends for New Year-- Aw, man, Pigsy's gonna kill me!" The boy turned toward Wukong and quirked an eyebrow, "...Where Macaque? Aren't you guys gonna hang out together or something?"

Wukong shook his head, pointing at the city as fireworks rang out, and covering his ears with a mock-pained facial expression.

MK sighed, "Uhm...Too loud?" Wukong nodded, then he made a 'scarf' motion around his neck, momentarily changing his form to look like Macaque before changing back. "Macaque?" Another nod. The king dramatically moved his body to look like he was leaping into the ground and then made a sweeping motion, like flying but just his arm.

"He left...Okay, Macaque left because the city is too loud?"

Wukong made a cheering motion, beaming with pride at his student. MK grinned, "I'm getting so much better at charades! Wait...So you'll be all alone?" The monkey sighed, waving his hand off-handily.

"Monkey King this is a big deal! No one should spend the holidays all alone." Wukong shook his head in amusement, he was about to reassure the young man when a sudden explosion rang out.

MK yelped, "THE CITY!!"

Wukong frowned, scooping up MK and summoning his cloud.

--

MK yelled in alarm as his Gold Vision revealed hundreds of webs and spiders, climbing over his poor mentor.

Wukong landed on a roof, scooping MK off and looking at him in worry. "UGH-- I HATE spiders! Ohhh, I fought her before and all but this is... ICK!!" The monkey pondered wordlessly and chirped, pointing at himself and then at Spider Queen's mech. He then pointed at MK and made a 'stay' motion.

MK frowned, "Wha... You're going alone? Do you not...trust me..?" Wukong frantically shook his head, clicking his tongue as he made a punching motion at the mech, and then pointed at the spider people and motioned at MK using the same punching motion.

The young hero hesitated, "...You'll beat up the mech and I fight the apocalypse..?" Wukong nodded, then he swooped his hands together, linking the fingers together.

"...Huh?"

Wukong huffed, wrapping his arms around the space around him, acting as if there were people around him. MK gasped, "OH!! My friends, right?" The monkey grinned, nodding.

"It's a plan!"

--

"Monkey King! So good to see you~!"

Wukong stared in confusion at the webs wrapped around his body, blinking up at the demoness. He could've sworn he'd heard a different voice earlier...Either way, the dangerous presence had distracted him and now all he could do was look up as Spider Queen smirked, "Oh, they aren't just any webs..."

Electricity exploded from the webs, draining the monkey as he inhaled sharply, never letting out a sound.

Just like the old days...

--

MK groaned, "He got captured! Something in that mech did it, and if it caught MONKEY KING then we don't stand a chance!" The group suddenly heard screeching.

"GET OUT OF THE WAY, PEASANTS!!"

Everyone yelped as a flying vehicle came crashing down into the dock.

--

DBK looked up, glaring at the queen.

"Ah, the wannabe queen of spiders." Spider Queen rolled her eyes before smirking and stepping aside. A girl in blue and white stepped forward, smiling. The spider grinned, "She's been a real big help. In fact..."

"I even managed to capture someone you know..."

He panicked, looking around, "Princess..?" The spider snorted, "Oh, no! Your Wifey isn't here. And somehow, your stupid brat managed to get away. No matter! Your energy, along with everyone else's, will power me through VICTORY!! ...And as for that old friend of yours..."

DBK looked up, spotting a pair of glowing eyes as the figure thrashed violently.

"Sun Wukong."

--

Wukong continued thrashing, worried to hypothetical death about his student and his friends. For crying out loud, he could recognize that energy anywhere, it didn't matter what form she took over.

Even if she'd taken over a harmless child, he knew the true danger they were all in. He needed to get OUT.

He'd been responsible for numerous innocent bloodshed in the past, and he sure as hell didn't want to repeat them again. Everyone was going to suffer, all because she's BACK.

DBK huffed, "What? Not even a greeting?"

Wukong snarled at him, trying to chew the webbing. The bull huffed, rolling his eyes, "What is it, simian? Is your voice much too precious and great for us mere mortals?" The monkey flinched, Macaque had said something similar... Gods, did people seriously perceive him so...selfishly?

Yes, a voice whispered. How could they not? He'd hurt and destroyed for so long, it was plenty valid for people to despise him. And now The Lady Bone demon was free...

The Demon Bull King noticed the retired hero's sudden stillness and growled, taking a bite, "Oh, does that get you? Eh? ...You are as silent as the day you trapped me under that mountain." Wukong looked into the Bull King's eyes, silently taking in his harsh truths. His eyes dimmed, turning back into their usual dull gold. Tears built up, outlining the dark lines under his eyes.

A sudden shock of pain rang out, and screams filled the air, including the Bull King's.

The demon glared up, figuring he'd at least find some joy in the sage's screams. But when he looked at him, the monkey wasn't screaming. The monkey was staring off into the distance, mouth wide open, but completely silent.

The shocks settled down, letting everyone breathe. The bull huffed, "Simian, can you not utter a word?"

Wukong chirped in frustration, glaring at the ground, angry at his show of weakness as tears threatened to make themselves known.

DBK huffed out a laugh, "What? Is it some sort of oath in honor of your master?" The monkey ignored him, pursing his lips. "Did one of the heavenly court curse you? Hah! Great Sage Equal To Heaven; CURSED by some heavenly figure." Again, Wukong ignored him.

Or, at least, he was trying to.

DBK growled in frustration, his family was out there, damn it! And all this overpowered monkey was doing is crying like a weakling!

"Ugh, then what is it? Huh? Pathetic..." The harsh words dug into the monkey's skin, getting under his fur. But all he did was remain still, finally giving in to his sorrow and pain as tears began to fall.

--

MK watched the antidote brew, and his excitement washed away into worry.

He was worried about his mentor, as stupid as it sounded. After all-- He was THE Monkey King! Great Sage Equal To Heaven! He'd gone through hundreds of endeavors, and defeated a gazillion bad guys!

...But...

This was..different. It felt off, like something way worse.

Something just wasn't right.

--

DBK inhaled, praying internally he wouldn't get murdered.

"...Do you give your little student the cold shoulder, too?"

Wukong stirred slightly, attention slightly peaked. The Bull King continued, "Do you leave him in the dark, hm? That's only going to bring forth his downfall..." Wukong glared at the other king, eyes glowing red as two golden slits eyed him warily, a warning despite the tears streaming down his face. 

"Because you fail as a teacher that boy will die... Whether it be at my hands or someone else's. It's truly not fair, to keep your stupid voice to yourself, for what? Pride?"

The cocooned monkey snarled, thrashing wildly, he isn't being prideful! Or selfish, that version of him had died long ago; WHAT WOULD HE KNOW?!

The webs protested, shocking him in a desperate attempt to stop him. Wukong felt his body protesting, begging him to stop, to stay still--

"His blood will be on your hands--"

Wukong's webs snapped as the machine protested loudly. The monkey darted forward savagely, grabbing onto the webs around the Bull King's body, yanking at them. 

DBK stared into the other's glowing red eyes, two golden slits staring at him intently, all the while Wukong heaved. He chattered hoarsely, ignoring his dry throat and attempting to spit out words. 

It didn't matter which words, any would do if he could just--

He began to simply scream in frustration, sounding absolutely distraught and insane. DBK panicked, surely this was the mark of his end...

"Simian, I was only trying to--"

The hysterical king suddenly tore the webbing in his hands, freeing the Bull King. Wukong glared at him, hissing before punching a hole into the wall and jumping through.

DBK exhaled in relief, jumping soon after.

--

"YOU CAN'T STOP ME, I AM THE QUEEN!!"

Wukong suddenly landed with a heavy thud, head bowed as he stood up. He was shaking violently, heaving with rage.

Spider Queen attempted to hide her fear, sneering at him, "What's wrong, Monkey King? Huh? Couldn't take a little pain?" MK gasped, spotting droplets falling down the king's chin, "Monkey King! What happened--"

The king rushed forward, punching the spider demon back.

She yelped, trying to stand back up when her mech suddenly started collapsing, "NO!!"

DBK landed beside Wukong, growling, "I AM NOBODY'S BATTERY!!" She continued to scream in anger before fleeing, taken by a cold blue mist.

--

MK ignored his friend's questions, rushing up to Wukong, "Monkey King, what happened? Who did this!" Wukong's lip wobbled and he harshly rubbed at his eyes, bright red in embarrassment.

MK pulled his arms away, wrapping his arms around his touch-starved mentor in comfort, "Hey, it's fine, you're allowed to cry! Now tell me who did it or I SWEAR on all my merch I will track them down."

Everyone, including Red Son and DBK, felt a chill run down their spines.

Wukong hesitated, chirping quietly. MK huffed, "Spider Queen?" A head shake. "Demon Bull King?" ...A hesitant head shake.

MK looked up and glared intensely at the Bull King, picking up his mentor and pointing his staff at him, "What did you do. Depending on your answer I will either skin you alive or use your horns as a coat hanger."

Wukong squirmed, not at all happy at being held like a sack of potatoes.

DBK swallowed thickly, "I was simply trying to get him to make an escape, I swear!" MK growled, "BULL-FUCKING-SHIT. You have been WAITING for this chance, haven't you?!" Pigsy squawked at his foul language, "MK--"

"NUH. UH. You don't get to say SHIT! You guys have been doing nothing but judging some guy! What? Just cause he doesn't talk? I tell you guys 'Oh, he's really shy'! And what's the conclusion you all come up with? 'Yadda yadda, he's so prideful and disrespectful'! SHUT. IT."

The group, minus Sandy who was just deeply concerned, looked down in shame. Just because they didn't like the guy didn't mean he was necessarily terrible...

The young man set down Wukong, keeping a firm hand on his mentor's shoulder as he faced DBK, radiating enough rage to rival Red Son's fire, "YOU. Ohoho-- I haven't forgotten about YOUR level of shit! 'Oh, it was just a means to escape'! LIAR."

"That was pre-meditated! Ugh, Monkey King has beef with you, but you don't see him dragging you through the mud for fun! 'He trapped me under a mountain--' OH, PLEASE! You were attacking people! What, did you think a hero was going to applaud that? GROW. UP."

Wukong sat through it all, eyes wide as his student continued to chew the other king out, honestly deeply touched. His eyes wandered over to the young hero's hand, still resting on his shoulder. The touch burned but in a good way. Like a bonfire in the middle of winter.

He stood up, cutting off MK.

The brunette paused, looking over at the monkey, "...Monkey King?" Wukong waved his hand dismissively, his tired eyes sporting a firm look.

MK cast a quick glare at the Demon Bull King, "This ain't over, y'hear?" Before turning toward his friends, wearing a sweet smile, "Can Monkey King join us for New Year dinner?" Everyone frantically nodded as Sandy grinned, "We'd love t have you, Mr.Monkey King!"

--

Wukong sat quietly, chewing on red bean buns as the team laughed and chatted. MK sat right next to him, giving him gentle touches as he chattered away with Mei.

Sandy was on his other side, smiling down joyously, even letting Wukong lean against him as he ate.

MK was right... This was quite nice. Even if they didn't like him, he genuinely enjoyed seeing MK so happy. A bittersweet ball formed in his gut, MK got the better versions, it whispered. The monkey sighed, knowing that they were completely different from his past companions. But still...

He shook the thoughts away, instead deciding to pack away his worries and finally enjoy a slice of peace for once in his long life since he was young. 

--

Macaque sighed, staring out into the horizon, enjoying the silence. 

He popped his knuckles and slumped in relief after hearing the 'pops' the action caused. He stood up--

A sudden drop in temperature hit the shadow user, causing him to stumble. Macaque heaved, digging into his memories to identify the familiar threat. 

He gasped, standing up abruptly as panic fully set in. 

She was back. 

The Lady Bone Demon.