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In the absence of the Monkey King and the Six-Eared Macaque, it fell to the marshals, Ma and Liu, and the generals, Ba and Beng, to take care of Flower Fruit Mountain. They had held their titles for as long as Wukong had had his staff and had lived through all of his adventures.
While none of them could hold a candle to either of the celestial monkey's might, they were each capable fighters and with the immortality granted to them by the peaches their king had stolen from the heavens they could defend their home from any lesser demon that threatened them.
For bigger threats, they could summon the Monkey King back via the clones he left behind during his sacred journey, their role here was to guide the other monkeys to safety. When the Six-Eared Macaque had been here to watch over Flower Fruit Mountain during the king's imprisonment, together they had perfected evacuation and defense plans that they still used today.
Not that those plans were really needed once Monkey King returned to the island permanently. No one dared threaten his home with him there.
He'd changed over the years, the person he was today took his duties as king very seriously, so committed was he that his generals and marshals were scarcely needed.
Liu had never considered leaving the island before however the missing Six-Eared Macaque weighed heavily on her. He had left to find Wukong shortly after finding out he had been released from his prison but while Wukong had returned several times to visit and was now settled here. The Six-Eared Macaque had never returned.
She couldn't understand it, his loyalty to their home and their king was absolute. Why wouldn't he have returned? She had questioned the king multiple times before he confessed he had actually tried to find him as well but had found nothing.
That had been several years ago and as she reflected on her dwindling duties she found herself wondering if she should search for him. She would no doubt write to and visit home often but while it might be slow going she felt it would be worth it.
She thought on it for a number of years before she found her resolve. She decided to tell her king and her dearest friends when they next gathered together to discuss matters on the island.
Ba finished up his report on the progress and health of the orchards and that was the last of official business that they had planned to discuss. Their king thanked him and then asked if there was anything else to discuss.
Gathering her courage, she spoke, "Yes, my king. I have something of great importance to me I would like to discuss with all of you." This caught everyone's attention, it was rare that something new be brought to these meetings.
The king nodded at her for her to continue.
Taking a deep breath, she began, "This is something I have thought long and hard on but I believe it is the right course of action. I wish to leave Flower Fruit Mountain in order to search for the Six-Eared Macaque."
The shock on the face's around her was clear but other emotions were breaking through - outrage, anxiety, shame and acceptance?
Beng started, "Leave?! You can't be serious, Liu. You have responsibilities! The Six-Eared Macaque will come back in time. It's not even been 50 years since he left! Our king has taken trips to heaven twice that long!"
Ba followed, "Is everything alright, sister? This is so sudden. What would we do without you here?"
Her king tried to reason with her, "Liu, I miss him too but I searched as far as I could using as many clones as I could make. I could not find him. If he does not want to be found there is little that can be done."
Ma however seemed to understand, and was on the offensive. "Listen to the lot of you! Beng, there is no responsibility that cannot be managed by our king alone." This was met with angry spluttering.
She turned to her next target, "Ba, you think this is sudden? Liu has often spoken of the Six-Eared Macaque and her desire to have him home." This did nothing to ease the anxiety clear on his face.
And then the next, "And I've lost track of the number of fights you've had with the Six-Eared Macaque! Maybe it's just you he doesn't want to see right now!" For a second, it looked like the shame would overwhelm him before he recovered enough to glare at her.
Finally, she turned to her, "I say, let's do it. When do we leave?"
The "we" was echoed in various levels of disbelief by all parties present. Ma was not perturbed, "Of course! I will accompany Liu to find the Six-Eared Macaque. I am keen to find him myself and give him an earful for worrying us!"
Liu was not unfamiliar with feelings of awe and adoration for her fellow marshal but these feelings threatened to overwhelm her now. She had thought she would do this alone and while it had filled her with dread she had been resolute in her decision.
Going on this journey with Ma by her side though? This could be more than just a difficult search for a lost friend, this could be an adventure exploring a world she'd only heard about as they worked towards their goal. She felt her eyes tear up.
Ma just looked at her slightly exasperated, "Don't start with the tears! This should not be a surprise to you!"
Perhaps it shouldn't be but the joy and hope she felt were indescribable and perhaps that was what settled the others somewhat.
Beng, had his face in his hand seemingly resigned already. Ba had a bittersweet look on his face as he asked, "You'll write, won't you?"
Liu's responded passionately, "Of course! We'll write often and we'll come back and visit! Don't think for a second we won't miss you all dearly!"
Ma looked to Wukong, "Well, what says you, our king?"
He too had looked resigned but he sighed and smiled up at them, "Would be hypocritical of me to say no, wouldn't it?"
Ma snorted, "I'd never let you live it down."
Wukong rallied, "Then let's plan your trip and your leaving party! Every monkey on the island will want to see you off!"
Within a week the two had set off. Leaving only two members of Wukong's council on the island.
----
Over the years, Ma and Liu wrote plenty of letters. Each one that arrived was eagerly received by Wukong, Ba and Beng but they were also read to any monkey that wanted to hear it. It became something of an event reading the letters out loud for all to hear.
While they were looking for the Six-Eared Macaque they had decided to take in the world. Their letters were filled with the places they'd been, what they'd done and where they were going next.
One day, when it was just the three of them lounging in the sun. Beng cleared his throat to get the others attention. "I want to ask of your opinion. In Ma and Liu's recent letter, they spoke of visiting Beijing soon. Truly a city of great intrigue and history... I was thinking perhaps of joining them on their visit?"
To say Ba and Wukong were surprised was an understatement. While things had to continue to require less and less government - Beng had always taken his duties very seriously. He'd also been the most against Ma and Liu leaving in the first place so this felt very out of character.
Ba spoke, "Brother, forgive me, but what has brought this on? You've never expressed interest in leaving the island before."
Wukong half jokingly added, "At this rate, I'll be the only one left!"
Beng sat up straight clearly trying to be dignified in his response, "I have no intention of galavanting! But I can't deny that Ma and Liu's letter have inspired something in me. They are visiting places I've only ever heard or read of... Our home is at peace - surely a few weeks away would do no harm?"
Wukong had a sinking feeling.
And so Beng wrote to Liu and Ma and set off to join them. True to his word he was back precisely when he said he would be. However, he was already planning his next trip. And so it continued until Beng was also traveling constantly - sometimes with Ma and Liu, sometimes alone. He always wrote and visited but it was safe to say he would not be settling back down in the island anytime soon.
----
Sometime later, Ba and Wukong were sat reading the recent letter that had arrived from Liu, Ma and Beng. They were inviting them both to join them for a visit.
Ba said nothing as he stared at the letter but Wukong knew. He saw how wistfully he stared at each letter they received, sometimes he would catch him sitting by himself staring off across the water. He missed his brethren.
Gently he spoke, "You should join them."
Ba snapped up to look at Wukong and began to refute, "No, no! The island needs us! And if we were to go, we would both have to go. And we can't both go leaving the island..."
Wukong would miss him dearly, "Ba, I will stay and watch over the island. I've had my fill of adventure and I know how deeply you miss them. You should go."
Ba looked torn but glancing down at the letter he said he would think on it.
After some more gentle encouragement from Wukong he decided that he would go but promised to be back. And he kept his promise but like Beng it was clear this was only the start.
He did not plan his next trip but letters now included invitations. At first always for both of them but, as Wukong always declined, overtime invitations were just directed at Ba. Ba initially resisted these invitations but as time went he accepted almost every one.
And so it had reached today, where it could be decades in between visits from his Marshals and Generals. Which while truly no time at all for immortal beings like them, did weigh on him. They always made sure to write but it wasn't quite the same.
He couldn't blame them, once he had had a taste for the world outside his home he had been insatiable. At least they were all more reserved than he had been.
Other monkey's over the years had left as well inspired by Liu and the others journeys until human language had become all but extinct on the island.
All he had to do was ask and he knew his most valued council would return but they deserved their freedom and he did not feel deserving of their company.
He hadn't told any of them about MK and all that had happened. And to his greatest shame he hadn't told them about the return of the Six-Eared Macaque.
He tried to reason that he was protecting them. The Macaque today was not the Six-Eared Macaque they had all loved dearly but it weighed heavily on him that they didn't know.
Things were improving between him and Macaque. Very slowly and with many steps backwards but progress was being made. He'd have to tell him eventually that the exodus of the monkeys from the island had started because Liu wanted to find him. Was still trying to find him.
But he couldn't bare the truth coming to light. That the Six-Eared Macaque had not returned home because of him. It was better no one knew and he would suffer alone with the knowledge that all of this was the consequences of his actions.
It was a foolish belief that it wouldn't all come to ahead one day but he would put it off for as long as he could.