Wukong glanced over at MK, watching him stare into his reflection, "I'm glad I could fix everything...since I caused it..."

The king exhaled through his nose, "No. It's mine. They all picked on you because they had beef with me." The brunette opened his mouth, but Wukong had had this conversation before. "Spider Queen got your hair. Why did she bother doing all of that? Because I wrecked her kingdom."

Wukong waved his hands around, "And Lady Bone Demon was sealed away cause she's plain ol' bad news. Red Son stole the key, you fought well against his mom, and they would've found a way to open it. Key or no key." He inhaled before exhaling again, "What else am I missing? Cause it all literally falls back onto me."

MK blinked, shaking his head, "Oh, it can't all be your fault, either! I mean, The Great Monk sealed LBD away instead of getting rid of her for good, right?" Wukong shrugged, picking up a piece of clothing, "Yeah. We all made mistakes, bud, you were just the one who got roped into it."

They fell into a comfortable silence, continuing to organize everything.

---

Wukong tried, he really, really did! He'd kept his eyes peeled, trying to make sure he'd spot the memory scroll. But it didn't work.

Ink climbed up his body as he held back an attack against his successor, "MK, find Macaque. Okay? You need to-- Find me, okay? Only trust your fri--" He paused, blue-tinted ink flashing into his skin. He began to sink as an echoed scream followed him into the darkness.

"Wait, trust what-? Monkey King!"

---

MK ran, diving out of the cave as ink figures slammed into the golden boundaries protecting the cave. He fell into the body of water just outside, pushing himself to sit up as he panted. The ink retreated, whispering random sentences.

The brunette stumbled to his feet, and ran.

His mind was a blur, trying to piece together what had just happened as he made his way home, tears stinging his eyes. MK rubbed his face idly, chittering nervously as vaulted over buildings, his legs burning from exertion. He was so close--

The door slammed open, startling everyone inside, "Macaque! Help!" He panted, staff held tightly in his hands.

Mei smiled slowly, holding her hands out, "MacGiggle isn't here, dude. He's out, remember?" Sandy's gaze was filled with concern as he spoke, "What's wrong?" Pigsy and Tang's eyes hardened, focusing on the brunette.

MK swallowed thickly, realizing his throat was dry. His cheeks felt funny, the same way dried tears left soft skin, and his hair fought to stay up despite its messy appearance. But it was his eyes and his trembling lips that put the team on edge, and his next few words sent a spike of panic through them.

"Something took him."

---

"So let's get this straight, ya found a bundle o' bamboo, ink came out, and took Wukong." Pigsy looked around, eyes squinting as he analyzed their surroundings.

"Oh, like this?"

MK looked up, startled when he saw the scroll in his blue friend's large hand, "Sandy, WAIT-!" The warning was in vain. Ink pooled out, swirling violently.

He barely managed to grab Mei in time.

---

"Oh, my! Now for you to fulfill what must be brought about."

Wukong clutched his head, hissing as a throbbing pain bounced around within his skull. He fell to his knees, eyes barely open as he stared at a memory. One that he could not change.

"Remember what is permanent. Remember what you may never fix."

They were mocking him. They had to be, with their condescending tone and red gleam. The memory before him flickered like a broken record, playing again. And again. And again. And again. And agaIN. AND AGAIN. AND AGAIN--

He yowled, keeling over so that his forehead layed pressed against the ground. He heaved, tears falling with the false gravity. Wukong panted, forcing his head back up. Before him stood Flower Fruit Mountain.

But it was up in flames.

---

The new guy, Azure Lion, claimed to be Monkey King's old friend.

MK had never really heard of him, though he did faintly remember the king subtly mentioning falling out of friendships with his first Brotherhood. Maybe this is what he...

"Only trust your fri--"

Monkey King didn't get to finish his sentence, but he definitely wasn't saying 'Trust Azure Lion'. Mei seemed to pick up on his unease, because she basically snarled at the strange newcomer.

The lion blinked, smiling hesitantly, "I know this is all...bizarre. Listen, I know how the scroll works. I can help you get your friends out." MK narrowed his eyes, subtly activating his Eyes of Truth. They revealed basically nothing useful, but he was desperate.

Maybe he didn't have to trust the stranger, but rather, force him to trust MK.

"Alright, I'll bite. But!" MK narrowed his eyes on the lion, holding his hand out, "You have to give us something you need, or is super important to you. That way it'll guarantee you'll keep your end of the bargain!" Mei grinned, nodding, "Yeah! What he said!"

Azure blinked, tilting his head in thought, "...Well then. May I propose a binding spell? It comes undone once a deal has been carried out. It ties us together and punishes those who do not follow through. Would that be enough for you?"

MK nodded, stepping forward. Azure moved as well, holding his paw out. MK took hold of it, clasping it into his hand as best as he could. Their hands began to glow a faint teal, and the lion began, "I, Azure Lion, promise to bring MK and his friends out of the scroll."

The brunette thought carefully. He may not be good at math, or common sense when it comes to judging someone's character. But he knew how to twist his words. He'd done it countless times while growing up with Pigsy.

"MK, go get changed." And MK had nodded, but changed into a ridiculous outfit. "MK, eat your veggies." He'd sprinkled sugar on them, eating them completely. It was a game, it was a way to plan ahead. And MK was a wonderful planner.

"And I, MK, promise to not harm Azure Lion while he helps us!"

The glow dimmed down, and the hero brought his hand back against his chest, stepping away from the other. MK stared at the scroll in Mei's hands and furrowed his eyebrows, "...So now what?"

---

Wukong ran, his bare feet smacking against ash-clogged soil. His lungs burned, the smoke coating them viciously as he heaved. The king looked around wildly, trembling as the intense heat fell over his body, stinging his eyes. Wukong screamed, wasting precious breath as he continued to flee.

He knew this wasn't real. It was a memory, something stuck in the past. It couldn't hurt him anymore.

But his panic, his pain, was real.

The king suddenly paused, listening to the screams of his people. He hadn't been present when Erlang had come down and taken revenge. He'd been up in the Celestial Realm, completely useless and unaware of his subject's plight.

Wukong crumbled, ignoring the way warm soot stuck to his clothes and fur. He squeezed his eyes shut, shuddering as the screams suddenly died off.

---

They managed to get Tang, which was a relief.

MK was never happier to have his nerdy father figure back than now. Look, Tang Sanzang seems like a...great guy, but he absolutely wanted his blabbermouth back any day. But something strange had happened.

MK had seen something. It was...bad.

Something was on fire, and there were screams. There was one, however, that he definitely recognized. Then there was a flash of his mentor kneeling down on ashened ground, dusted with pale soot.

And then it was gone, just as fast as it had appeared before his eyes.

Mei bumped his arm, "You okay?" MK almost answered with a small 'I'm fine', but stopped himself short. Maybe he was fine, but it looked like Monkey King wasn't. It would be better if he answered honestly, right?

"I...saw something."

---

Wukong layed limply, staring at the scene before him. He'd been stupid time and time again, he knew that. But this was...

He watched idly as Macaque tried again, and again, and again to warn his past self to leave Heaven be. And time, and time again, he witnessed the way he'd blatantly brushed off his warrior.

Sun Wukong, the Monkey King, the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, was a huge moron. The biggest idiot to exist. That was the only explanation for his backtracked decisions. How could he have not heeded the other's words?

Why had it taken so long for him to realize that fact?

The image of Demon Bull King laughing at Wukong's joke made the king want to throw up. It was sickening, knowing his betrayal later on. Heaven would have preferred much more drastic measures, yes, but he wished he'd said something.

Instead he'd fought the bull with a stupid faux grin on his face.

Macaque's past self huffed in amusement as he witnessed the bull and his younger brother. Wukong smiled to himself, eyes damp but not allowing any tears to dribble down. The harsh sting of regret continued to eat him alive, like burning poison scorching him alive.

---

Pigsy rung his shirt, muttering to himself, "Blue is not my color." He noticed Mei nudging the brunette, making him shuffle nervously.

"Got somethin' ya needa say, kid?" The chef eyed his son, waiting patiently. MK sighed, "I've been seeing visions of Monkey King. They're...not pretty." He frowned, "The first one was him in some wasteland, and then I had another one. He was with some other people, but he was just...there. He looked sad."

Tang perked up, appalled, "Why didn't you say anything?" He was about to answer when the landscape suddenly rumbled, and ink pooled from the sky. Everyone screamed, and Mei tried to fight back with her Dragon Blade.

It only shattered as golden lights took them away.

---

Wukong stared at the sight before him, a blank sort of shock in his mind.

A stone egg sat innocently before him, exactly where he remembered. The same spot where it had been the first time he'd been trapped here.

"How sweet. You have yet to learn."

Wukong ignored the voices, reaching out to hold the small thing. He held it close, not paying attention to the hot droplets sliding down his cheeks and past his chin.

He wished he'd had the chance to be there as MK grew up. He wouldn't be good enough to raise him, no. Never as good as Pigsy. But he would've loved to just... be there. To actually play with the little guy. To place band-aids on his accidental cuts and scrapes.

"What a shame...Our gift cannot reach so far back."

Wukong frowned, lips pulled back in a harsh snarl, "Shut up. SHUT UP. Why do you--" He closed his mouth, sighing slowly. He continued to cradle the egg, reluctantly moving forward to place it back where it seemed to belong according to the past.

---

Mei growled, holding her sword against their foe's blade. The strange man behind her stared with wide eyes, and she simply grinned at him, "Looks like you were right, I can just make a new Dragon Blade!"

She was pushed back as a golden beam of light appeared. She gasped, watching the white-haired man raise his hands, blocking off the giant wolf. Tang made himself known, greeting Mei with Mo on his shoulders before suddenly yelling in joy, "Ao Lie!" Mei sputtered, looking back at the man, "He's Ao Lie?! I knew you were cool!"

Ao Lie turned back, smiling sweetly, "Aww, you think I'm cool?"

She went bonkers as he transformed into a giant dragon, circling around Kui Mulang. Tang transported them away as she continued to shout in glee.

---

MK blinked, rubbing is eyes as he tried to process his latest vision. Subodhi watched in amusement, "See something new?"

The brunette had stumbled upon the temple, argued with some random students, and had found his way to Subodhi. The old man wouldn't answer his questions, and instead questioned him about his blank past. He'd subtly insisted MK was something more.

And sure, MK had some new monkey features that would pop up when he used a lot of his power, but it was fine. After all, mei had some new dragon features! And Monkey king insisted he was still the same, just with some cool new stuff!

"He's next to his egg. Can you take me there?!" The old man smacked the hero, huffing, "Hmph. Demanding, much? But yes, I can take you to your mentor's birth place."

---

Wukong sighed soundlessly, tired beyond normal exhaustion.

The king gazed up at the cloudless night sky, waiting mutely for a fight he regretted again and again. His master and long gone friends were fast asleep, unaware of his internal turmoil.

His past self was awake, eyeing the area for any danger. Wukong felt a surge of hatred, startling himself and forcing it down. Forgiveness was his hardest virtue to learn. Especially when it came to himself.

Wukong looked away, exhaustion settling into his stone bones.

---

Pigsy struggled against the giant, clenching his jaw as the other brought down his weapon viciously, "Sandy, snap out've it!" The river demon didn't answer, of course, but he still tried.

"Pigsy!" Tang yelled, but the chef didn't dare look away from his opponent. He suddenly heard padded paws softly enter the fighting ring. A loud meow echoed out, and Pigsy risked a quick glance towards Mo.

Sha Wujing froze, turning to stare at the feline.

Mo moved quickly, leaping onto the giant's head. The transformation was immediate, and they all watched as the fearsome demon was turned back into their gently companion.

"Mo! Hey, buddy!" Sandy beamed, cradling his cat and grinning towards his friends, "Say, where's MK?"

---

MK stared at the egg, denial blaring in his head.

"No. There's...No."

Subodhi watched blankly, not giving away his thought, "Like it or not, you are like your master. A Celestial Primate." MK swallowed thickly, squeezing his eyes shut. "You can't dictate everything in your life, MK, but know that this is not a bad thing." The man's voice fell, morphing as ink dripped down once more.

"No no no-- Not again! Please-!"

Something thick moved behind him, causing the hero to freeze in place. "Sup, bud! Whatcha pleading for?" MK turned slowly, his nerves jumbled as his instincts bagged him to run.

An ink version of him cranked its neck up, grinning with glee at the brunette. MK gasped, golden sparks running along his skin as his own monkey form made itself known. The brunette stepped back, frowning, "S-Stay--"

"STAY AWAY FROM HIM!"