Chapter Text
Macaque ran and had been running for what felt like weeks now. The black monkey slid into shadows, popped out miles away, before he slipped back in to double back. The compass from the Lady Bone Demon still held power and was the only thing keeping him one step ahead. Before he used it to trace down Wukong and the kid, now he used it to avoid the Monkey King. He knew which direction Wukong was coming from so he went another direction.
Flower Fruit Mountain was the last place Wukong would look for him. That was why he stepped out of the shadow of a tree. Macaque checked the compass again. Looked like Wukong was in the north right now. He could rest here for a short time before he kept running. The shadow monkey looked out at the sky in the distance. The volcanos and smoke blotted out the sky in one direction and was the only way he could look without seeing the orange glow in the sky.
Everything went wrong when the sky started to glow orange. Everything went wrong when they defeated her. Macaque closed his eyes and tried to shake away the thoughts. He didn’t know who else was still fighting anymore. For all he knew, he was the last one at this point. The pig, the benchwarmer, the dragon girl, and the blue guys fell first. Of course they did. The kid had believed in Wukong and so they did too. That belief was what doomed them. It was what doomed the world.
Macaque moved his hand to his chest and gripped his robes. He could feel it even from this distance. It was trying to worm its way inside like it did them. It took all of his concentration to fight the feeling. It promised warmth, happiness, and hope. All false promises. He knew they had to be. It was all a disgusting lie. A sweet coating around a poison pill. It’ll taste great going down but you won’t survive when it works. He had been bound once by the Lady Bone Demon. He refused to be bound again, not by chains and not by silks.
Something in the air shifted. The wind changed directions and the scent hit his nose. That was the first warning. Macaque’s eyes snapped open and he had no idea when he closed them. He flipped the compass open and the arrow was pointed straight up.
“SHIT!” He dove to the side just in time. The ground cracked and the force of impact hit Macaque and sent him rolling toward the cliff edge. The shadow monkey rolled onto his feet and came face to face with Sun Wukong. The Monkey King stood tall, armor shining gold in the sunset, with a smile on his face. His eyes shined with golden light as he took his first step toward Macaque.
“There you are. No more running, Mac. It’s all going to be okay now,” He said with a sickeningly sweet tone.
“Hey Wukong,” Macaque waved with a roll of his shoulders. His other hand slipped behind him to hide the compass, “You know, as much as I love the attention, I think we could both use a break from one another. What do you say? We just go our separate ways?”
Wukong’s smile faded at the words. He moved, faster than Macaque could see. The arm with the compass was grabbed in a tight grasp. He pulled the arm up and made Macaque hiss in discomfort.
“You say that, but you’re still holding this,” Wukong smirked as he snatched the compass from Macaque’s grasp.
“It’s been useful, staying one step ahead of you!” Macaque snapped back.
“Has it? Well sure, it told you what direction I was in. What you didn’t know was as long as you had it on you, I knew exactly where you were. You coming here? Just made it easy.”
Macaque felt a chill run down his spine. This couldn’t be the end. Wukong spun him around and grabbed his shoulder. Fingers dug into his flesh, hard enough to make him wince. Everything felt like it was suddenly standing still. He stared into those glowing eyes and the smile that spread over the Monkey King’s face. Once upon a time, he would have probably killed to see him smile at him. Now it was the last thing he wanted to see.
“You’re the last one,” Wukong spoke softly, pulling Macaque closer. The shadow monkey tried to pull away, tried to fight but Wukong was too strong. His fingers tightened, threatening to hurt him if he kept moving.
“You have to stop this!” Macaque screamed. He had to get through to him. Escape might be possible if he could just get him to relax his hold.
“Why? Everyone is happier this way. You will be too,” The glow of those eyes grew brighter. Macaque felt his chest stab tighter and he screamed. It no longer was trying to worm inside but stab itself into his heart.
“NO! It’s…all fake! It’s an illusion! The kid wouldn’t want you to do this!” Macaque screamed. The pain suddenly ceased and his legs nearly gave out beneath him. Wukong’s smile was gone. He stared at Macaque as if he had just struck him across the face. Then the scowl formed and he picked Macaque up off the ground by his throat. Macaque kicked and struggled, trying to break free.
“MK is a good kid. He always fights for what’s right and good. To save the world. I’m saving the world from itself. From you. You made him miserable! You won’t make anyone miserable again, Macaque. Not after I fix you.” The glow returned. Wukong stepped off the cliff and onto the nimbus. Slowly it floated up into the air, away from the mountain and any shadows Macaque could use.
“The kid…wouldn’t…want this. Not like…this,” Macaque choked out.
“That’s enough out of you,” Wukong said as a fierce smile spread over his face. A bright golden light appeared behind Macaque as the glyph circle appeared and shined. The orange glow of Wukong’s eyes intensified and suddenly it all came rushing in. Macaque screamed, his legs kicking, as he desperately tried to fight it.
“You’re just like all the rest. You can’t resist me. Not when you still hold me in your heart. You can lock your mind to me. Never your heart. You’re mine now. Like all the others,” Wukong said with a triumphant grin. Macaque felt the warmth spread from his heart through this body. His back arched, his body shaking, and his mouth opened in a scream. It filled every bit of him as the silk binds wrapped around him. Warmth spread through his body and smothered the will to fight. Macaque felt himself go limp and hang in Wukong’s grasp.
Wukong brought Macaque close and released his neck. He wrapped his arms around the black monkey’s waist. He watched Macaque’s face as he hung there unconscious. Suddenly those eyes snapped open to reveal the orange glow to them. Monkey King grinned and moved his hand to cup Macaque’s cheek.
“See? Better. Right?” Wukong asked.
“Much better, my King,” Macaque replied with a soft smile.
“The world is better now. And you’ll be by my side,” He pulled the black monkey into a hug. Macaque’s head rested on Wukong’s shoulder.
“What now, my King?” Macaque asked softly.
“Now? Now we move on to phase two. This world is missing something and there are others out there rotting in their suffering and pain. I have work to do.” Monkey King grinned as the bone spread across his forehead. It formed a ring around his forehead then grew upward spikes. A crown fitting his position. The Era of the Monkey Bone King had begun.