Chapter Text
----500 years before Monkie Kid
Let it be known that the six eared Macaque is not a being that should be underestimated. Born from a mixture of heaven and earth, growing at flower fruit mountain with the so-called “Handsome Monkey King”, and then being promptly abandoned/killed by said king will really strengthen one’s ability to persevere.
So here he is on a beautiful sunny day exploring his “old friends” latest and final story of his journey. Apparently, the Demon Bull King and his wife decided it was time to expand their territory and had tried to seize a nearby village only to then fight and be sealed by the “Oh so great Monkey King” under a mountain.
And as Macaque observes the remnants of that battle he can’t help but be impressed. The ground was littered with burns and chunks of the earth were gouged out, some areas seem to have been sliced through entirely……most likely Princess Iron Fan’s work if he had to guess.
As he continued to follow the trail of destruction further up the mountain he could feel his many ears start to twitch as an unusual but not unfamiliar sound was heard.
(Scratch, scraaaaatch, scraaaaaaaatch)
It was an irritating sound but it was constant and getting louder as he continued his path up the mountain.
Walking at a steady pace he could begin to see the summit as the sun's glare reflected off of the Ruyi Jingu Bang. He couldn’t help but scoff as he got closer to the staff, the great weapon that took his eye and life is now a glorified burial marker. Honestly, sealing the couple under a mountain just like he was punished for 500 years……he doesn’t know if this is Wukong’s own dark sense of humor at work or his version of trying to “help” the demon bull clan mend their ways.
(Scratch, scraaaaatch, scraaaaaaaatch)
As Macaque begins to see the full scope of the summit the scratching sound only grew louder and now he can see its source. A single hole right in front of the monkey king's staff, surrounded by dirt and with the smell of iron in the air. He summons his shadow staff as he gets closer to the hole, after all in this world filled with monsters and demon’s alike it’s best to be prepared for an attack even if the creature itself is small. And the creature must be small given the hole is not that wide but it looks to be very deep considering he couldn’t see it at a first glance.
He leans forward and now finally, finally can see the creature that has apparently been digging all this time and can’t help but be confused. The first thing he saw was a dim red glow, like embers from a dying fire. And as he looked closer he was able to distinguish a small body with even smaller hands digging into the ground. It was a child, a demon child if the heat emanating from it was any clue to go on.
(Scratch, scraaatch, scraaaaaaaatch)
He can’t make out any finer details given the darkness of the hole and it seems that the child has yet to notice his presence as it continues to scratch into the ground, not even caring about its unsuccessful attempts to go deeper into the mountain.
(Scratch, scraaatch, scraaaaaaatch)
As Macaque watches the child continue with its fruitless efforts (and cringing at the sharp sound that can only be tiny claws scraping against whatever magic infused stone is lying in the dirt) he decides it is time to intervene.
“So what’s a kid like you doing here all alone?”
And just like that the child’s hair is no longer dying embers but a raging inferno as they swiftly turn to face him and growl.
Macaque then has to pause as the child’s features are now on full display, they are younger than he originally expected. Maybe around 20-30 years, their face is round with baby fat but that isn’t what makes him pause. He has met Princess Iron Fan only a handful of times in his long life but he can’t mistake the resemblance. The child (because he truly cannot tell if this child is a boy or a girl) has the same wine red eyes, pointed nose, and regal features as the newly sealed princess only scrunched up in pure rage.
In a split second the child leaps at him, their hair seemingly engulfing them into a ball of fire with a high pitched scream.
Macaque quickly dodged and jumped back to gain some distance from the enraged child.
Staring at them Macaque now noticed the resemblance to their father, like his own shroud of shadow’s the child had engulfed themselves in their own flames and power making a type of spiritual body in the shape of……..a calf?
“Pffft! Kid I’m sorry but it’s kind of hard to take you seriously when you look so..so…..cute!”
This has seemed to enrage the child further as they charged at him like the raging bull he was sure they would grow into.
Macaque smiles and uses his staff to redirect them as the child grunts, growls, and continues to charge at him like the demon calf they are. Sure it’s a bit mean of him to tease the child like this but he can’t help but find this little demon’s attempt at fighting him entertaining!
(Swing CRASH)
“Oh you almost got me there!”
(Swing CRASH)
“Oh so close, wanna try again?”
(Swing CRASH)
“Ah c’mon kid is that all you got? I could do this all day!”
(Swing CRASH)
Smirking and thoroughly amused, Macaque continued to dodge the enraged demon calf but it was obvious that the child was losing energy and fast. One hit should calm the kid down from whatever tantrum they’ve decided to direct at him. He quickly jumped to position himself in front of the monkey king’s staff while the child was recovering.
“Alright kid what are you waiting for? I’m right here!”
He watched as the red calf shakily got back up and glared at him. For a moment the child seemed to waver but they regained their footing and charged. So Macaque waits as the child runs at him until the very last moment when the child would hit, he drops down into his shadow.
For a second Macaque just see’s the comforting blackness of his shadow, surrounded by his element he can’t help but smile. It’s been a while since he’s enjoyed himself like this, his smile transforms into a smirk as he quickly pops back up to the light of day. Just in time to see the red calf trip from his own hole and crash into the Ruyi Jingu Bang with a loud sound.
(BANG)
“Pffft!!! Hahahahah! Seriously kid, you make it too easy! Honestly I think your Dad would’ve even been proud of that attack!”
Feigning wiping tears from his eyes Macaque walks closer to the child who’s red calf appearance is flickering until only the child is left struggling to lift themself off the ground, using the staff to help support their weight until they are left standing on shaky legs.
Macaque continues to smirk as he gets closer and closer to the child, though he stops walking as he hears a soft whimper. He watches as the child seems to grip the staff in front of them almost desperately.
“........ba…..ck…..”
He is only a few feet away now and even with one eye lost he can see that the child is shaking.
“Hic…….give……hic….ba….ck”
His smirk slowly shifts into a frown as he starts to notice that the child's hands which grip the staff so tightly are swollen, bloody, and are even missing a few claws.
“Hic………GIVE…. EM ….hic…..BACK!!!!!”
And as the child turns around with that final shout he can see them, he can see everything now. The child continues to glare at him with the same wine red eyes as their mother. Only now he can see that they are not only full of tears, but are dreadfully blood shot with bags no child should have accompanying them. Their face still holds some baby fat but not enough to be healthy, even their skin is pale and waxy. The child’s entire body including their knotted long hair seemed to be covered in nothing but dirt and muck. Even their clothing consisting of a simple red dudou, a couple of red arm bands, and purple shorts were ragged. As Macaque took in all of this information, all six ears twitched as he heard them he could only respond to the child with one word…..
“What?”
The child seeming to have lost the strength to stand and has now collapsed again on all fours but they seem to have not given up just yet. And all Macque can do is watch, feeling like he’s trapped in his own shadows as this…..this infant…..crawls closer to him, and he’s not sure what to say.
5 steps away
“Hic….give em….hic…..give em….back!”
4 steps away
“Hic….mon….key…hic…..give em …..hic….back!”
3 steps away
“Mã…..Mã…..hic….Bà….hic…. Bàba….hic
2 steps away
“Hic….Red ….wan….Mãmã …an…. hic…...Bàba”
1 step away
“Hic….Monk…..ey ……hic…give…..give em back!”
And there he is, the six eared Macaque, the legendary shadow of the great sage equal to heaven, one of the single deadliest demon’s in any realm! Frozen in place as it dawns on him that this orphaned toddler who is desperately pulling his clothing is crying….no begging for him to give him back his mother and father.
Macaque stares down at them for a few moments as the child continues to cry. Alone, scared, and so, so young. He wonders how long they have been out here, how many days and nights they have cried trying to dig their parents out of the mountain. Without really thinking he slowly lowers himself to the ground until he’s on his knees as the child continues to weep and gently, carefully he hugs them. The child seems to have stopped their crying for a moment, surprised as Macaque hugs them tighter. Another moment passes and the child starts to wail as he grips onto Macaque like a lifeline.
Ten maybe fifteen minutes later as the child begins to finally tire themselves out and go into a fitful sleep he holds them silently (what could he say….what could he say…….he can’t say anything). Macaque closes his eyes and brings the sleeping infant closer to himself as he remembers the last time he saw Wukong. When he opens his eyes once more all he can do is stare at the Monkey king’s staff and at the little hole in front of it, and he wonders how many people that the great sage has left to die alone.