Gentle Breeze over Fragile Stone.
Long post ahead! You've beeen warned. Here is the eighth short centered around the Five Monkeys and a look at how things change now that the five of them are together.
The aftermath of the events of the previous chapter are not pleasant for anyone, dealing with the long expected shift from passive compliance to total dissociation and violent eruptions of Wukong’s temper on top of it all leads to the long awaited conversation about Wukong’s behaviour from Tongbi.
It is not a gentle conversation, nor is it easy, but by the end of it, a path forward is found.
Flower and Fruit Mountain betrayed nothing to prying eyes.
To anyone who looked towards it, they would see a solid and stable home of the Five Monkeys, peaceful and blessed with its normal tropical heat and bountiful forest.
They were not permitted to see anything beyond that.
A single text from Macaque had been sent out and for ten days, no one visited, no one texts and no one asked questions.
Macaque brought MK home at the start of the eleventh day, the dark furred monkey sporting several new bruises and a nasty claw scar across his right cheek while MK looked heart broken and defeated.
“Let him tell you in his own time. It was difficult.” Macaque explained, and after gently tussling MK’s hair, he slipped away into the shadows again.
MK spent the whole morning of the day of his return curled up on the sofa with his Pa and Dadsy, silently crying while they held him. By the end of the day, he was able to explain what had happened.
Wukong was lost in a state of catatonia. After waking from the unconsciousness Tongbi had forced him into, he’d found himself being held by Wu Zhiqi, swaddled tightly and whole, his sharp claws filed dull and a powerful binding seal on his primordial power, rendering it useless until the seal was removed. He’d cried, refusing to speak of his reasons beyond repeating that he was tired and done.
He continued to cry silent tears for the following four days, becoming completely hypokinetic, staring at nothing, robotically moving from place to place with who ever was watching him for the day, mute save the broken mimicked hoots and chips he’d heard from distant troop members, and when not swaddled and coaxed to close his eyes, an action to help it a little more believable for MK that he was resting them while the younger Monkey slept close by, he would just sit, looking but not seeing, his tail limp and still beside him, as he just sat for hours on end. He only ate because he was copying the motion of chewing and swallowing from MK, Macaque, Tongbi and Wu Zhiqi as they ate around him.
Even though Wu Zhiqi had sealed and bolted away all the weapons in the Palace, the risk of Wukong trying again was too high, he was never left alone, either carried on Wu Zhiqi’s back, against Tongbi’s chest, or guided by Macaque or MK’s tails. As Wukong had reshaped sections of the Palace to better suit his and Macaque’s needs, he would know any and all hidden passages he might have made and might have a means to access another means of hurting himself.
The fifth day had been the same as the four before, but when Wu Zhiqi had tried to coax Wukong back into a swaddle after bathing, the ginger monkey had become violently agitated. MK hadn’t seen the whole fight that followed, only the end of it when Wu Zhiqi had used his bigger size to pin Wukong down and hold him down until his agitation faded, leaving him once again hypokinetic.
The swaddling stopped after that, but Wukong was still not permitted to be by himself and over the following days, an irregular pattern had formed, some days Wukong stayed utterly catatonic, but others he would lash out at seemingly nothing, leading to a short fight until his own body simply refused to let him continue and the anger would fade back into the broken silence of catatonia.
Nights were worse.
When MK or the cubs climbed into the nest with Wukong, he didn’t react beyond the reflex of holding them, he didn’t speak, just hooted and chittered back at them until they fell asleep. He noticeably stiffened and flinched when Tongbi or Wu Zhiqi came close to him, going silent and rigid, as if expecting them to strike him, but it was his reaction to Macaque that had driven the black furred monkey to sleeping at the edge of the nest or in the once shared room he had claimed as his own.
Wukong went limp and let his throat be exposed, a silent submission and acceptance of a kill bite. He would stay that way the whole night unless moved by one of his brothers, no tears, no fight, no resistance or even an attempt to protect himself from a bite that wouldn’t come. Macaque spent his nights either curled up and sobbing quietly into a pillow behind Tongbi, in their once shared room, or behind Wukong, one arm across his chest, a visible and physical block against a strike to Wukong’s scared chest, holding him to his chest using his chin atop Wukong’s head to make him hide his neck.
MK had wanted to try and stay, to continue helping both Macaque and Wukong with whatever subconscious instinctual triggers that had made the healing just a little easier, and for a time his presence had helped. During the nights, Wukong got brief clusters of sleep when MK was cuddled under his arms, he ate more, even if not much more than a bite or two when MK ate with him, he followed MK’s coaxing with almost no resistance…
But after the latest burst of aggression, a fight that had led to Macaque looking the way he had when he’d dropped MK off that morning, Wukong completely stopped responding to MK’s presence, no longer echoing the chitters and hoots, no longer reacting to his closeness with reflex grips or letting himself be coaxed along.
As it seemed there was no longer anything MK could do, Wu Zhiqi had, with great reluctance, suggested it might be better for both MK and Macaque to take time away from the matter while he and Tongbi handled what came next. MK hadn’t wanted to leave, but after three days of being ignored and looked through, he had let Macaque bring him home. Macaque would be staying with the Demon Bull Family and working at his dojo or the theater to pass the time, while the three cubs played and explored the city through the shadows.
When word of what had happened to cause this sudden sharp drop in Wukong’s recovery, Ao Bing had been the one to collect the ruined relic to seal it away with its sibling knives, and upon his return he had reported that Wukong’s state hadn’t improved but it also hadn’t worsened, and that news seemed to help settle MK’s nerves enough that he wasn’t on the verge of going back on his own.
When Bai He heard the name of the relic Wukong had tried to use, she had a panic attack, the name having triggered the memory of her own possessed hands handing the same knife to Grandpa Wukong and sending her into a spiral of her own. It was so bad, MK had to call Macaque and within an hour, the black furred Monkey came back to the shop with Rumble, Savage and Thunder to find Bai He curled up under the blanket of the bed of her room in the apartment above the shop, her cat purring and nuzzling her chest and face, trying to offer her comfort while MK coaxed her to take small spoonfuls of noodle broth with soft words and assurances.
Rumble and Savage fell over themselves trying to reach the little girl before Thunder heaved them both up onto the bed and climbed up herself, the three of them crawled under the blanket and snuggled with Bai He until she felt brave enough to sit up and speak.
“Are you mad at me?” She asked, her voice hoarse and weak from sobbing.
“Never.” Macaque promised, gently stroking her hair as he sat on the mattress beside her. “You didn’t give him that knife Bai He, she did. You were traumatized by her. No one, not even the mighty High Above can blame you for anything that happened. And no one will.”
“But I knew… and I didn’t say anything.” Bai He said, blame still clinging to her with stubborn fingers. “Its my-”
“Do you remember what I told you, about what happens to the mind when someone is possessed?” Macaque asked, gently pulling the little girl into his lap while Thunder carefully began grooming through her hair, Savage and Rumble settling against her stomach, letting Bai He’s shaky hands pet and stroke through their fur while cooing and hooting softly.
“You said, it can mess with memories and… And make things foggy.” Bai He recalled. “It’s why possession is viewed as a crime…”
“And why no one ever blames the victim for things they can’t recall or remember doing during the time they were forced to be the host of such a villainous person.” Macaque added, gently squeezing Bai He in a hug. “No one is angry with you, Bai He, and no one hates you.”
“And none of this is your fault.” MK added, moving to crotch down in front of Bai He, gently using his thumb to wipe away the tears. “Wukong is just very upset inside, and he’s struggling a lot. It’s making him very frustrated with himself and he’s lashing out because of that.”
“Like Uncle Bull, before Grandpa Sun put him under the Mountain for Time-Out?” Bai He asked, and Macaque made a sound between a snort and a sob, knowing that Chi Yue had to have had a hand in explaining the situation with the Demon Bull Family and Sun Wukong for Bai He to call it that.
“A little bit, but also not quite the same.” MK shook his head with a small smile. “I think Wukong has been hiding just how upset he is from everyone, for a very long time. And it’s just gotten too heavy to carry anymore.”
“Will he be okay?” The child sniffled.
“We don’t know yet.” Macaque admitted, using his tail to swipe the tears away from his own eyes before they could fall. “But, like that dumb peach-brain stone always says, we just have to believe hard enough, and it’ll all work out right.”
“Okay.” Bai He nodded sniffling.
MK gave Macaque a sharp bap with his tail tip to the nose in reprimand. “Don’t call your little brother mean names.” He scolded.
“Ouch, baby brother. Big brothers’ are rubbing off on you.” Macaque playfully teased and then made a show of letting Rumble and Savage tug on his bangs in further reprimand, knowing it would make Bai He feel better to see such childish and comical behaviour, distracting her from the pull of the spiral that was trying to keep her in its confines.
“I can’t reach him without breaking him, Tongbi.” Wu Zhiqi sighed heavily, his shoulders slumped in defeat and his black eyes shining with tears that hissed as they evaporated.
After Mihou and Xiaotain had left, Shíhòu had let himself be guided to the nest in their room, and was currently sitting at the edge of it, looking but not seeing the view out the window. He didn’t respond to them in the same way he did Mihou and Xiaotain, the echoing chitters and hoots were less and the mimicked chewing and swallowing was near none existent.
Wu Zhiqi knew how to help, he’d known from the start what needed to be done to bring his little brother peace, but he had not offered it, because the offer would not have been taken as it was intended. It would have been seen as an escape from the moment, a way to cheat the very real need to heal and reflect, and a way to continue ignoring the problems that would linger and wait until the eventual return.
So he had not spoken up, he had not mentioned the technique he knew would bring relief from this awful situation, and now, he was faced with the direct consequence of that choice.
He had known, having watched it play out repeatedly over the cycles that little Shíhòu, the stone cub who had been shaped and formed by his fire, blessed with the glowing warmth of his own core and born with more power then he knew what to do with, felt deeply, loved openly, and was fiercely protective and loyal to those who found their way into his heart.
He loved his adopted family, loved his troop, loved his hope and his sworn brothers, he loved making their lives easier even if in only small ways. He loved to learn, to explore, to experience things with a youthfulness that rivaled the cubs of the void. But more than that, he endured the anger and injustice of the Jade Court’s Wrath and the cruelty of Heaven’s will alone, sparing his loved ones the pains whenever and wherever he could.
He made mistakes, but from those mistakes he learnt new lessons and improved himself.
But now, having lived an unstable cycle with a soul older than his body, haunted by pains and grievances he didn’t wholly understand and further tormented actions of those he cared for as a result of his actions, their anger and misunderstandings that should never have become the norm. Having found and loved and lost people, suffered betrayal and distance from those he called family, having his heart broken and lived with the burden of believing it was his actions alone that drove others to ruin and suffering because of him, little Shíhòu had reached his emotional limits and was now at a point he was no longer willing to try.
He was waiting on old habits to break free of their newly found restraints, waiting for frustration to drive young Mihou to his limit and make him lash out. It was why they sent both Mihou and Xiaotain away from the Mountain. With Mihou gone and Xiaotain absent, Shíhòu would be left without their familiarity to rely on and that meant it now fell to Wu Zhiqi and Tongbi to handle this matter themselves.
“The words I want to say- that need to be said to him. If I say them to him while he is like this, I’m no better than she was.” Wu Zhiqi admitted.
“You could never be like that wretched worm.” Tongbi scolded softly. “Do not consider yourself to ever be the same as her again. It would only sadden me.”
“I know how to help him, Tongbi, I have known from the start. But to suggest it then, or even now… I would ruin everything for him, Mihou and Xiaotain. I know what to do, but to do it, I damn him and hurt them.” Wu Zhiqi explained himself, rubbing his face. “There is no good to come from my speaking with him when he is this way.”
“Then let me speak to him first.” Tongbi said, coaxing Wu Zhiqi to move his hands away from his face and cupped it with his own, gently wiping the heated tears away with his thumbs. “I could not speak with Mihou, he is too much like me in his anger, but little Shíhòu, he is your mirror as Mihou is mine. I know how to reach him.”
Wu Zhiqi nodded, leaning into Tongbi’s touch, reaching around to hold the grey monkey by the waist. “I fear he has inherited a little too much of my old mindset, that he believes a door once closed should never be crossed again, even if it is held open for him…”
“Then I shall teach him otherwise, just as I taught you.” Tongbi assured, and pressed a soft kiss to the older monkey’s forehead. “Watch over us?”
“Always.” The red furred monkey promised with a deep rumbling purr.
Wu Zhiqi let Tongbi pull away from him and seat himself into a relaxed lotus position, gently pulling Shíhòu’s limp, unresponsive hand until the ginger monkey moved with listless and clumsy movements to sit so his body was facing Tongbi’s, his face still turned towards the slowly drifting clouds outside as if they would somehow grant him what no one and nothing else had.
“Shíhòu.” He called softly.
There was no response, but he had not expected one. Shíhòu’s attention was wholly focused inwards and thus, external stimulants were ignored unless they were close to a trigger. With a soft smile, Tongbi reached up and softly cupped Shíhòu cheek, guiding the unglamoured red and golden gaze of his little brother to his own, letting his own glamour fall to show the true white and black eyes.
“Lingming Shíhòu.” He tried again, allowing the smallest hint of his power to bleed into his words, and there was a fleeting flicker of acknowledgement in those deep red gold eyes.
It was all that was needed and in the next moment, Tongbi pulled Shíhòu with him into the Mindscape.
With their minds focused elsewhere, their bodies went entirely limp and slumped down. Shíhòu, at an odd angle and unbalanced, began to fall, taking Tongbi with him but neither of them landed harshly, Wu Zhiqi caught them easily and gently laid them both down against the largest pillows of the nest. He shrugged off his cloak and carefully tucked them both under its warm softness.
This deep within the Mindscape, their primordial forms were docile and calm, connected to them through the faintest thread of power that when pulled upon, brought the whole of their Primordial power to the fore. War was the first to be seen, seated with crossed legs and arms folded across his stomach, his head tucked low, seemingly sleeping. If not for the soft flickering of burning flames that licked at his eyes, a tell that the eldest being was aware and alert despite the relaxed peace of the Mindscape, Tongbi might have believed him genuinely sleeping.
From War’s chest, close to the death scar, a length of bright red energy and chi drifted away from the Mindscape, and if it were to be followed, Tongbi knew it would lead him to Wu Zhiqi’s mindscape, and then deeper, into Wu Zhiqi’s very core.
If danger or threat dared to approach, it would be him who sensed it first, and he who ruined that threat.
Death was laid down, tucked close against War’s side and partly hidden amongst the long red fur that hung from War’s arm and head. Both arms tightly wrapped around the amber form of the youngest cub while his eye scanned the low level, watchful but unafraid. Order felt content and safe enough to actually sleep, curled against Death’s side, while his cyan eyed shadow amused itself with chasing and tugging on the shapeless clouds.
Tongbi’s eyes fell upon Strife, who was crouched behind War, holding Fury’s body steady against his chest, three of his four hands holding firm at the points were Tongbi had sharply struck with his claws on Shíhòu’s body, forcing shut the misaligned gateways where the power had bled through the strongest and with those strikes, the link between primordial and vessel forms was weakened, leaving the golden form a shuddering mess.
Fury’s lowest arms were raised, cradling something in his palms while the middle and upper arms weakly braced himself up. His three faces bearing matching expressions of quilt, sorrow and pain and two of his three great tails were tangled together with the purple and amber tails of his siblings.
The third tail was raised up, and curled into his own golden palms.
Seeing him, Fury shuddered and bowed his head low, but made no other show of acknowledgement or reaction, and Tongbi understood, despite the will of his vessel, Fury had not wanted this path. Nor had he wanted to bring harm to his vessel in such a way as he had.
Strife reached down with his free fourth hand and lifted him up to the cupped golden palms.
Shíhòu lay there, dressed only in his red pants, though they bore signs of disrepair, his glamour completely removed and his aura so weak it was impossible to sense. He was chilled to the point that even with the radiating warmth of his primordial self’s palms and tail, he was violently shivering. His back, without the glamour of thick fur, was on full display and even with the stone plating over his spine and shoulders, the skin was lined and marred with so many scars Tongbi could not tell clearly where one began and another ended, nor how old or recent some were from others.
Tongbi had known, having done this once before many years ago, he would not like what he found here. He knew he would see little Shíhòu at his utter lowest and worst, just as he had found Wu Zhiqi after his reformation from Chikao Mahou. And still, he found himself deeply shocked and utterly disgusted that Heaven had allowed such shame and dishonour against his young cub, this clever, loving child of his heart he had longed to call his little pebble, but restrained himself, and only called him his little brother.
Shíhòu should have long been left unbothered by the heavy weight of Heaven’s failings, instead, he had suffered repeatedly and now, his body, mind and very soul were rejecting the idea that there could be a peaceful existence so long as he remained awake.
“Oh, Shíhòu…” He said, unable to bear the sight, he tugged a single short grey hair from his shoulder and with a shimmer, it changed from a single hair to a quilted blanket. Shíhòu said nothing at first, only lay listlessly as Tongbi tucked the blanket around him, attempting to offer a comfort and warmth that had become a familiar gesture between them.
“Why did you stop me?”
The question was heavy with emotions and hurt that should not have been upon one so much younger than he. And yet, by the actions and neglect of those once trusted to protect and uphold justice and honour, the burdens were solely upon the shoulders of a cub who had long ago earnt the right to peace.
“Face me, Shíhòu.” Tongbi requested, his voice soft and tone even. “Please.”
Slowly, with limbs heavy from pain and straining against weeks of disuse, Shíhòu moved himself to kneel, reluctantly letting Tongbi help him when his left arm gave out from under him. He didn’t fight when Tongbi then adjusted the blanket so it covered his shoulders, continuing to warm his quivering body.
“Tell me.” Tongbi asked, his voice calm and steady. “If I tell you the whole truth, not just of my reasons, but the means by which we could aid you when you are better. Will you listen with an open mind?”
“What good is an open mind to me now? I have nothing worth staying for, no reason to linger, no anchor to tether me. I am tired, I am so, very, very tired. What more does this world want to take from me before I am allowed to have just a few decades of sleep?” Shíhòu asked in return, shaking his head.
“Do you truly believe you have nothing of worth? No true reason or anchor?” The grey monkey questioned, reaching out to gently stroke the brittle fur from Shíhòu’s face. “Or are you speaking aloud the thoughts of your other selves?”
“Does it matter?” Shíhòu questioned.
“Yes.” There was no room to argue or question further. “I came here to talk to my little stone cub, the cub hatched from the egg Wu Zhiqi crafted from his warmth and an earthen shell so thick we feared the cub within might struggle to break free.” Ruined blood red golden eyes looked into unglamoured white and black ones, shocked at the admission and claim that came so naturally. “I came to talk to my second son, my pebble; Lingming Shíhòu. Not Sun Wukong, not the Victorious Fighting Buddha, not The Sun of Death, not the Handsome Monkey King and not The Great Sage Equal to Heaven.”
For a long time neither said anything, neither moved and around them, time itself seemed not to even dare and breathe.
Tongbi had wanted to wait, to keep this as strictly an elder brother speaking to his junior, as that was the agreement they’d made long ago, that until they’d all had time and chance to rebuild the connections that were still so terribly brittle and frail between them, they were Brothers first, Life Givers and Cubs second. But seeing Shíhòu this way, seeing him so sure there was nothing to stay for, he chose to push the matter the same way he had pushed it with Wu Zhiqi when they knelt like this in the palms of War and Strife after the battle that had earned Wu Zhiqi his title of ‘The Reborn Monkey King’. No, waiting would not help here, not when his cub was so sure he was unwanted he wasn’t even speaking for himself.
Only when those ruined eyes widened ever so slightly and bloody tears silently fell and something so terribly fragile flickered behind them did Tongbi speak up to ask. “Tell me truthfully, do you want them to partake, or do you want them to be quiet?”
“...” Shíhòu was quiet for a time, then admitted through unrestrained tears, his voice quiet and shaky. “They are very loud, and unhappy… I just want it all to stop. They said they would handle it, make it all stop. Now they’re just arguing. They won’t listen to me… Please make them quiet.”
Tongbi nodded once, and reached his hand out again, gently pressing two fingertips to Shíhòu’s forehead, right over the scar of the tightening band, and pushed less than a drop of his own chi through the ginger monkey’s mind, silencing all but Shíhòu’s singular voice within his own mind.
“You may have your turns when you have calmed down.” Tongbi said.
Above them, Fury closed his eyes and when the voices tried to push against Tongbi’s power, ready to argue that they ought to go first, he growled with warning, keeping himself and the other voices restrained from speaking for the moment as some of the tension finally faded from Shíhòu’s face and his shoulders slumped down just a fraction.
“Thank you.” He breathed.
“Now, I ask you again, Lingming Shíhòu; will you listen with an open mind?” Tongbi repeated his question from before.
Shíhòu gave a weak nod. “I will.”
“Thank you.” Tongbi said, gently squeezing Shíhòu’s hands in his. “First, the matter of suffering you have endured. I understand, due to our time away, that you have suffered many lifetimes of wrongs, not only because of people in the Jade Court, but throughout all Three Realms. Had we the power, we would have come back, even if it led to ruination. Believe me, my little Shíhòu, had we known the true depths of what was going on, there would have never been so many cycles.”
“I understand that, Tongbi but… it doesn’t change anything…” Shíhòu said, shaking his head.
“You’re right.” Tongbi nodded. “But you know now that the False Cycle was a flawed reset and thus all that was good and joyful, was doubly so in your heart. For you, precious cub of the Earth itself, feel as deeply as the soil and as openly as the vast continents. And just as you feel intense joys and happinesses, you also feel intense pains, wrongs and betrayals.”
Factual statements, laid out calmly and honestly, without fanfare or grand explanation. Truths that Shíhòu himself had admitted and confirmed before.
“Have I spoken wrong?”
“No.” Shíhòu said through chattering teeth, shaking his head as Fury’s tail curled just a little tighter around him, trying to give him more warmth. “You speak truth and wisdom.”
“Then, I ask you, in all these years, what is it that truly pushes you to think there is no reason to stay?” He asked. “You have seen, even before he knew you were his brother, how much dear baby Xiaotain loves and admires you, how he clings to you, not just for lessons in his power, but simply to enjoy your company. Ao Lie, dear child of the dragons who suffered pains came to you for aid and still, before that, he was genuine in his enjoyment of your company and time, because you treated him as an equal. And Chi Yue, blessed little maiden, she loves you as she loves her twin, she has rallied many to your case and pushed and fought on your behalf against the Courts of Heaven for you.”
Shíhòu blinked, confusion written across his face. “She has?”
“She has, and others.” Tongbi nodded, pulling the smallest thread of power from this space and before them a ripple appeared, bringing faint translucent images into view as if someone had recorded the events and were now replaying them.
The Jade Court, a meeting of old officials, ministers and generals, overseen by the Jade Emperor and the three elder Dragon Kings. Ao Bing is arguing, trying to put a point into detail but the men are making it difficult. Standing beside Ao Bing, Chi Yue is leaning on a cane to remain upright, thick winter furs over her shoulders. There is a fire in her eyes that brings the smallest smile to Shíhòu’s scared lips.
“When was this?” He asked.
“Shortly after the end of your Journey West. It was an auspicious event and thus, foreseen by me.” Tongbi explained and let the memory play.
He watched Shíhòu’s face slowly shift as he listened to Chi Yue defend him to the Heavens, using his mistreatment at their hands as a gateway to force Heaven to openly admit its mistakes and wrongs. Tearing down lies and slanders against him with a fire that left many of the old guard of Heaven badly burned. Nezha, arguing with his father on Wukong’s behalf, even under the threat of the Pagoda as punishment, dragging evidence to the court about the lies and plots of others against him just to prove his innocence. Erlang Shen, quietly pushing sheets of paper with noted times and dates in front of His Uncle, quietly making it difficult for others who intended to make trouble for him while also making sure no one knew it was him doing it.
Slowly, the look of shock shifted into one of fondness and gratitude. By the time the memory faded away, Shíhòu’s tears were no longer strictly self loathing in nature.
“She never told me.” Shíhòu said, his tears were slower now but still falling. “Nezha and Erlang never spoke of this to me.”
“Like you, Chi Yue wishes not to burden others with her struggles, but where you have closed yourself off so tightly it seems impossible to reach you, she has allowed others to carry her for a while, and let them help when she struggles.” Tongbi said. “Is that why you suddenly have come to see her as untrustworthy and unable to keep her word?”
“You knew?” Shíhòu asked, genuinely surprised by that revelation. “About the compromise she promised?”
“She spoke with me before she found you at the Ball.” Tongbi nodded. “She asked me if she did offer you such an opportunity, would I help her draw up a seal spell with enough power to maintain the effect of the tea inside you, to keep you asleep long enough to let stone take you as you wished. It seems for all her power, she thought her deep slumber tonic was not enough to grant you truly restful slumber, and thus, wanted an extra layer of power to help you achieve what you wanted.”
Shíhòu bowed his head in shame, and Tongbi ignored the way the other selves of his son began to press against the barrier again, not to argue or yell, just there, wanting to speak but knowing they had no right to it at that moment. “They doubted her.”
“As did you, my cub.” Tongbi remarked, not a complete reprimand, but still scolding in its own way as he reached up and coaxed Shíhòu’s head back up. “Or you would have argued louder.”
Shíhòu said nothing more on that matter, but didn’t let his head fall again when Tongbi released him.
“You are loved, my son. Loved beyond reason because you have given so much of yourself for others. And while yes, some have hurt you, turning your gentle nature into a weapon to hurt not only you but your troop and mate, and to trick you cruelly into acting on their behalf, there are a select few who have never done wrong, nor betrayed you. Chi Yue is one of those precious few, Shíhòu, and when she is made aware of this matter-”
“She’ll cry.” Shíhòu acknowledged, sniffling. “And then she’ll come yell at me, and cry more. Then she’ll make me pick weeds from her garden while reciting tea recipes as punishment for making her cry.”
“And she will still love you.” Tongbi said. “As she loves Mihou, Xiaotain, and others.”
Shíhòu nodded.
“Is she not a tether to stay awake?” Tongbi asked and allowed the barrier to fall away now that the other selves were no longer in the state of mind to argue.
His son shook his head. “She survived well enough before she met me, and even after meeting me she has lived well and long without any help from me beyond the house I gifted her. She has never really needed me or Macaque and Demon Bull King to survive.”
“Yet she stays, even if at a distance.” Tongbi said, “And she is not the only one. Erlang Shen, Nephew of the Late Emperor, has helped protect your troop from heaven’s gaze, and Nezha, for all that you both tease each other, respects you and will defy his own father for you if the need ever comes.”
“Erlang is trying to make amends with Chi Yue for what he did to her. By helping me, he appeases her anger.” Sun Wukong explained, though there was a note of stubborn dislike in those words. “And Nezha will do anything to anger his father in spite. As he should, given how much of an ass Li Jing is.”
“And yet, both the Little Lotus Prince and the Illustrious Sage have argued for you just as fiercely as Chi Yue.” Tongbi reminded, gently poking his nose with his claw tip in reprimand for the insult. “Mind your language.”
“I left instructions for Nezha to be given full permission to visit and stay on the Mountain to escape Heaven and his Father if he ever needed to, and permission for Erlang Shen to visit to gather medicinal herbs if the stores of Heaven fail.” Shíhòu said.
“And you believe that was enough to sate the debts between you while you slept until some unknown calamity woke you again?” Tongbi asked.
The Handsome Monkey King nodded. “All the years I lived, all the lives I ruined with my mistakes, I repaid what I could with tasks and gold, as is law of Demon kind. What I promised in youth to others I left in ink with Old Beng to give when the appointed times came. I have nothing unsettled and thus, I have no reason to stay awake and continue to watch the world move on when I can find peace in sleep. No one would have missed me.”
“Mihou.” Tongbi said.
Sun Wukong shook his head. “No he wouldn’t. Macaque has no love for me left, only regret he misunderstood a matter between us and bitterness he wasted half a lifetime on this fool.”
Tongbi gave his nose another, firmer jab. “Do not speak lowly of yourself, my son.”
“I am not wrong. What else does one call a person who ruined themselves and others for useless things? What else is a person for choosing action over thought? I have made too many messes and unforgivable mistakes to be anything but a fool.” Sun Wukong said, rubbing his irritated face harshly. “Mi- The Six-Eared Macaque has never truly held me in his heart, so I will not hold him in mine any longer. We are two halves of one whole, and brothers. Nothing more.”
“Were you not my little stone cub, I might believe the lies you just spewed with such a brave tone.” Tongbi said, taking hold of his face with both hands and wiping the bloody tears away with his thumbs. “Do you know why Mihou feared giving you his whole heart?”
“Because he heard something and clung to it as a confirmed truth.” The ginger monkey said, half a guess, half a considered answer as he leant into Tongbi’s cool palms, the itch of the tear stains soothed by the touch.
“Then you know his actions were not truly solely his own, but those of his other selves,” Tongbi said, like a teacher to a student. “Do you also understand your inner turmoil and grief is not solely your own, but the combination of your other selves?”
“I do. But the situation is different.” Shíhòu said, taking the chance to rub his face again and recite what he knew as facts about the matter. “The Six-Eared Macaque hears Past and Future, but is only Near-Omnipotent and thus, can only guess the accurate future on whispers and estimations. I have no such gift as him, nor do I fully understand Yin and Yang as Wu Zhiqi has long since mastered. I also can not speak of understanding the inauspicious and auspicious events as you do. My gift, my curse is Intelligence and with it, the vast wealth and burden of knowing and learning many things, and retaining them only because I am able to incarnate myself into constitutions, each one unique but still me and able to better categorise the intelligence I hold into situations where they are needed. We interchange easily and so, no one knows when one slips in and another slips out.”
Something is unsaid there, but Tongbi doesn’t push for it, knowing another chance would come later as long as the situation was kept calm and the triggers were neutralised. “And?”
“And, where Mihou can silence his otherselves, I can only rotate between each self, maintaining my sanity through the combined intelligence and capacity of each self, but also having to fight with each self when heart, mind and soul are not united.” Shíhòu finished. “The more selves I have, the harder it becomes to be unified without conjoining some to others or granting them assigned clones like MK has with Mink, Porty, Artsy and Del.”
“How many constitutions do you have now?” Tongbi asked, noting the uncorrected slips.
“Five, six if Fury is counted apart from the Sun of Death.” Shíhòu said. “People confuse them for different beings because they have only ever seen Fury as a mass of colour and robes, never the true Primordial glory he could be.”
“Strike one.” Tongbi scolded, firm, sharp and pointed, making Shíhòu flinched. “Do not lie to me again.”
“Six.” Sun Wukong corrected after a moment. “There are six of us.”
“Name all of them.”
“First is Lingming Shíhòu, the cub who grew under Old Feng’s care and who slayed the Tiger Demons who killed his troop. Second is The Handsome Monkey King, the King who ruled Flower and Fruit Mountain and established a home and kingdom before he was found by Master Subodhi. Third is Sun Wukong, the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, he who learnt the lessons of the Sages and who endured the tricks and falsenesses of Heaven, who has the most distrust towards them. Fourth is the Victorious Fighting Buddha, who understands and accepts the Enlightenment, but has no trust or desire to be part of their deception and false grandeur. Fifth is The Sun of Death, Fury.” Shíhòu explained and above them, Fury gave a low purr, acknowledged and content. “They are indifferent to the matters of the Three Realms, only arguing when they must… they don’t like the idea of sleeping but they accept it is my choice…”
“And the sixth?” Tongbi asked.
“He is… different. Older. He will not tell me his name, nor let me assign him one.” Shíhòu admitted, reluctant and fearful. “He is angry, hateful… Different and yet…” He shuddered, pulling the blanket tighter around himself. “He isn’t happy that you and Wu Zhiqi are back, and he doesn’t want to sleep…”
Tongbi didn’t need to hear anymore to guess who this self was. He knew, in his heart, who it was and why they were different from the others, and that this self, who refused to give his name but still emitted such a presence that all others were uneasy about him only further solidified that knowledge. Tongbi acknowledged him, but would not name him until he made it necessary.
“And the rest of you?” Tongbi asked. “Wholly and truly in this matter of sleep, are Lingming Shíhòu, Sun Wukong, The Victorious Fighting Buddha, The Handsome Monkey King, and the sixth, all united in mind, body and soul?”
“No.”
It was snapped before his own hand slammed harshly over his own mouth as he pushed himself away from Tongbi suddenly.
Above them, Fury growled deeply, his second and third faces twisting into pained grimaces and scowls as if forced into such expressions before Fury violently shook his head.
“Mind yourself.” Tongbi instructed firmly, eyes suddenly sharp and voice firm, a parent scolding a particularly rude child. “There is no reason to be harsh towards them.”
“Mph-mrph! Mph!” Shíhòu tried to speak through his hand, wincing as his claws dug into his own chin, before his other hand reached up and tore his hand from his own mouth. “They will not let me speak without being forceful. Not that you care-”
“Do not accuse me of your assumptions.” Tongbi commanded, his tone sharp as ice. “Lingming Shíhòu asked that you be silenced so that he may have peace in our conversation. You have no right to be angry with him for that choice when you argue to the point of drowning him out. Nor do you have the right to snarl at me when I ask you a question from parent to child.”
“You dare to claim us as yours? When you have been absent so lo-mph!” Both Shíhòu’s hands slammed over his mouth this time and above them, Fury growled deeply.
Tongbi didn’t react with the anger clear behind his eyes, instead he spoke calmly. “Tell me, have I rendered you and the others mute? Deaf? Have I stripped all of you of your abilities to speak up and push into the fore of the mind? Have I rendered you into little more than specters? Returned you to nought but voices in the mind?”
The answer was a trembling shake of the head, though clearly words and actions were being battled over from within.
“Are you uncomfortable with me calling you my son?” Tongbi asked and this time the hands didn’t quite muffle the curse that was aimed for his ears. “Remove your hands from your mouth. If you angry self wishes to speak their grievances themself, then let him.” Shíhòu shook his head violently, closing his eyes and new tears spilled. “Shíhòu-”
“He won’t let me speak again if I let him out now! He’ll make you mad and that’ll just make everything worse! I don’t want that! I don’t want any of this! I-We just want to sleep! To be left alone and pretend it will be enough! No more pain, no more stupid trials and tricks from Heaven, no more ruining everything we touch, just sleep and stone!” Shíhòu sobbed within the mindscape, his aura flaring out in defence against an attack. “That’s all we-argh!!!”
“You want sleep and stone because you’re all too afraid to let me out! Too ashamed to admit you want to ruin every single one of them for what they’ve done to us!” The accusation tore from Shíhòu’s throat as blood painted the air and spilled from the now ruined palm of Shíhòu’s harshly bitten palm. The golden aura around him beginning to flicker with streaks of crimson and black bleeding into it.
Tongbi saw the moment Shíhòu was pulled back into the mind, shielded by the constitution of the Victorious Fighting Buddha as the constitutions of The Handsome Monkey King and Sun Wukong, who snarled and hissed at the other self, blocking his attempts to harm their origin while taking the brunt of the assault themselves.
It was a battle for control over the body just as much as it was a battle of survival amongst the constitutions. A fight that would have no clear winner so long as the origin was weakened and the body they fought over was frail and barely strong enough to handle the sheer effort to live.
A surge of anger, and the others were forced deeper into themself, leaving the angry self in full control. “They lied to us! They tricked us into servitude and then tried to have us killed! They trapped us for a crime we didn’t commit and then sent us on a useless journey to try and tame us! They knew it was worthless! They knew the outcome of that day and did nothing to stop it! Nothing to help us! They all deserve to die and since you won’t dare, I will! I’ll remind them all why they should have left us alone!!”
Tongbi was silent, unable to stop the memory of this same scene years ago, but instead of his son, it was his mate who wept and fought so violently with his other self.
“They ruined us! Tricked us into becoming this- this wretched, wicked thing who knows only death and ruin and corruption! They wanted a monster and now they know they can’t control it, they send forces to slaughter it like a savage beast! FINE! LET THEM COME. LET THEM LEARN JUST HOW SAVAGE CHIKAO MAHOU CAN BE!!”
“You think you can do what even your own Life Giver couldn’t?” Tongbi asked, his tone even and his words colder than the deepest winter snow. There was a warning in those words, a promise of something painful, something long buried slowly stretching itself, preparing to strike if the fool provoking it didn’t consider their next choice carefully.
“Chikao Mahou was a fool who let love blind him.” Shíhòu snarled.
In the next instance Tongbi was no longer there and after a moment, Shíhòu’s body collapsed like a puppet whose strings had been cut into Fury’s palms, shaking violently, bloody tears raining down from vacant eyes, breathless and utterly petrified.
Around them, the clouds grew dark, and thick, rounded curled edges growing sharp and jagged as the wind grew chilled and bitter, to the point Fury clutched his vessel to his chest and curled into Strife’s embrace as he pulled them closer to War and his siblings, seeking comfort and further protection for his vessel from what was to come.
The sudden sense of pain in his chest woke MK with a sudden jolt. “Ah!?”
“MK?” Mei asked from the bed, one hand already reaching ready to grab her sword from the enchanted sheath at her side while keeping Bai He tucked at her side. Flames flickered up from Red Son’s hair as he looked around, ready to lunge at whatever threat had dared try its luck.
Thunder gave a low growl, looking out the window towards the paling horizon while Savage and Rumble whined, clinging to MK and hiding their faces in his chest.
“I’m good. Just, give me a minute.” He assured, taking a moment to recenter and focus himself and then reach into the Mindscape. What happened just now? My chest felt tight suddenly.
Tongbi just cut himself and Wukong off from the shared Mindscape entirely. Macaque explained, sounding calm but still worried. Wu Zhiqi put up a barrier to stop the backlash reaching us, but the link we share with our Primordial selves is strong enough to be sensed even through it. The tightness is instinct telling you something happened.
It is a warning of danger. Wu Zhiqi said, his voice firm and commanding. You must not linger here baby brother. This matter is delicate and for the protection of yourself and your family, you must not come back into the shared mindscape until we say it is safe again. Mihou, leave the cubs and come back here. Now.
What’s happening? MK asked again.
A fragment of Shíhòu’s mind is succumbing to Madness. I will explain more when you return to the Mountain. Wu Zhiqi stated and MK felt himself shudder as Macaque cursed loudly. For now, please, go out and seal yourself off from this place.
Okay. MK agreed before slipping back out of the Mindscape, letting Mink, Porty, Artsy and Del block the way and cut the link off, leaving him suddenly very aware of how normal sharing the Mindscape had become to him.
Then he felt Macaque and Wu Zhiqi sever their links to him, closing him off entirely and even though he knew it was for his safety, he still winced.
“MK?” Red Son asked in worry as MK hugged himself tightly.
“The Mindscape isn’t safe right now.” MK explained. “I’m shut out of it until further notice. They cut me off just to be sure.”
“Oh.” Mei said, recalling how Old Beng had explained the Mindscape to them and how unnatural it was to be cut out of it or made to leave it. “Do you need anything?”
“Not to think about it. And I don't think I’ll be able to sleep again.” MK admitted and Mei smiled, pulling herself off the bed and feeling around under it for something while Red Son pulled the extra blanket from the wardrobe, draping it around MK and the cubs.
Bai He stirred, slowly sitting up and rubbing her eyes, taking in the actions of her adopted elder siblings and crawled out of the bed and over to MK, climbing into his lap and hugging him tightly. “It’ll all be okay.” She said, voice heavy with sleep but steady and firm. “As long as we believe, it’ll all work out.”
MK gave a weak smile, and nodded, hugging Bai He in return as Mei pulled out a large box filled with colourful cards and tokens. “I suggest predawn card and board games to help ignore things we don’t want to think about.”
“Seconded.” Red Son said, standing and moving to the fridge of the room to fetch a juice box for Bai He, while refilling the glasses he, Mei and MK had rinsed and set aside before settling to sleep.
Macaque all but flung himself into the shadows after severing the link with MK, letting the void itself carry him with such speed and force that he broke the door to the room, hinges and frame all, as he slammed into it, letting shadows slip out of him with the intent to restrain and if necessary, ready to kill.
He found no threat, only the realization that Tongbi was deep in meditation, his hold on Wukong, once a tender thing, was now loose, Wu Zhiqi stood guard over them, while Wukong lay still and deathly pale, breathing shallow and faint.
“Is he-”
“He is very weak.” Wu Zhiqi explained, letting Macaque climb unto the nest behind him and check for himself with shaking hands. Wukong’s pulse was faint and irregular, even after months of treatment and care, seeing him like this was a horrid reminder of just how close to death Wukong had allowed himself to stay, waiting for the moment he could slip into a slumber so deep it could be compared to death. “Tongbi took his succumbing self deep into his own mindscape.”
“How is this possible?” The black furred monkey asked, forgetting himself for a moment as a snarl laced through his words. “He shouldn’t be… Madness can not take the minds of those who are ascended, he is, and Enlightened and blessed by the Heavens, he shouldn’t be-”
“A lie to sooth the minds of Heaven’s still brash and foolish youth of our time.” Wu Zhiqi admitted grimly. “Tongbi’s part in my rebirth was heavily guarded, leading to many falsehoods about Madness and its prerequisites. But regardless of that, given how powerful this part of Shíhòu is when compared to others, he has likely been under its grasp for many years, or more accurately, for multiple cycles.”
“But, but how?” Macaque questioned searching his memories for the tells he knew, unable to see even the slightest hints of them in any actions Wukong had taken. “He hasn’t-”
He stopped talking, the words dying in his throat as he noticed a fresh bleeding wound on Wukong’s forehead, the size of Tongbi’s index and middle finger.
“I can only suspect that, like me, he formed this self to contain the anger and hatred he felt within his heart, believing his will power alone enough to suppress it. And like me, that youthful arrogance has risen to bite back.” Wu Zhiqi explained. “If Tongbi can’t reach a point of compromise with him, he is going to do to him what he was forced to do back then.”
“But that could-”
“We have no choice, Mihou.” Wu Zhiqi admitted lowering his head just enough to look at Macaque. “If this is not stopped now by Tongbi’s hand, it will consume Shíhòu entirely as it did me and you, and if that happens there will be no sparing him a death at our hands, or worse, Xiaotain’s.”
Macaque felt his body stiffen, knowing how that would end, how deeply that loss would cut, how horrid that would be for not only them but MK as well.
“Will he survive?” He asked, gritting his teeth as he forced away the thought that it was hopeless. “What Tongbi has to do… will Shíhòu survive?”
“That choice is entirely up to him, Mihou.” Wu Zhiqi said, returning his gaze to the horizon, waiting and ready for a reason to attack or relax.
He said nothing of the tears that spilled from Mihou’s face, nor of the way he gathered Shíhòu’s frail body to his chest and held him tightly, whispering apologies and pleas in hope that he could still, even at this late hour, somehow convince Shíhòu to stay.
He had hoped he would not return so soon to this dark, bitter corner of his mind. But for his son, he would allow that part of himself this one final moment of merciless indulgence.
Tongbi’s feet touched the ruined and cracked ground a few feet from where his offender’s form was laid in a heap of limps, clutching their stomach, struggling to breath as they coughed out blood. Snow chilled winds were already rushing to reblanket the rough and broken stone around them as deeply as it had been before.
They were a near perfect mirror of Shíhòu, the same ruined and scared body, the same bloody red eyes with twin golden pupils, the same voice, even the same scent of tropical forests and damp earth, with a hint of sweet ripe peaches, but the fur? That was not the familiar bright, vibrant golden-orange that was entirely Shíhòu’s own, this form was covered in a deep burgundy fur, closer to the shade that had once been distinctly unique to another monkey.
“Speak ill of your sire, my mate again, and I will not be so restrained in my reprimand of your insults.” Tongbi declared, still cold and still restrained, no longer parental.
“I am not wrong!” The separated self of Shíhòu snarled in furious indignation, clawing the ground with broken claws before forcing himself to stand. “He let himself be caged and weakened for you! He let Heaven shackle him because they knew they’d never tame him without the deal just like they ruined us! All their talk of being better, of forgiveness and letting go is lies! A cruel joke they play over and over and over again on everyone just to see how far they can break us! I’m owed more than just a pathetic apology and formal acknowledgment of their wrongs! I am owed more than they can ever repay for what they’ve done to me!!”
“And you believe yourself worthy enough to take what you are owed by force?” Tongbi asked.
“I know I do.” The auburn copy of Shíhòu asserted, a familiar arrogance and near feral aura, stolen dregs of Shíhòu’s golden energy held tight by unresolved anger and sheer refusal to let go. “I refuse to be ignored and denied what I am owed any longer!”
“Then prove it.” Tongbi invited, dragging one foot back and lifted his hands with natural ease.
The auburn clone charged.
Each strike sent cuts of air ripping across the snow, cutting through it and then down into the already brittle and fragmented stone beneath, shaking the already cracked and ruined ground into shards, then dust. Every snarl and howl forced the heavy snow to scatter and disperse, the flakes themselves shattering as immovable stone met unyielding wind.
“They started all of this! They dragged me up there for no reason but to gawk and jeer at me! A beast tamed and made a fool of for their pleasure! They plotted against me!” He snarled, claws inches from Tongbi’s eye, restrained only by the long arms of the elder monkey. “Lied and schemed to have me executed for their own selfish need to be superior and greater than all others! They robbed me of any choice!”
Tongbi hissed and twisted ever so slightly, then with a burst of icy wind, threw the clone upwards, moving with lightning speed and swiftness unmatched in the three realms to arrive behind the clone and deliver a bone breaking kick to the side, feeling four ribs crack.
“They knew, everyone one of them knew what Azure Lion was willing to do to see the old bastard dead for his negligence of the Three Realms and they did nothing! They let him act, just because he is the son of the Azure Tiger and now they permit his rebirth as if he is some grand hero!” The clone continued unprompted, spilling the reasoning and logic sharpened and honed over the lifetimes it had endured while trying over and over to land a strike on Tongbi’s form all while Tongbi stepped backwards as if retreating. The clone was skilled and struck with confidence befitting someone who had become accustomed to the underhanded and merciless ways of conflict, honour was not a part of this, only survival and brutal domination. “What of the blood on his hands!? The lives he destroyed and ruined! The ruination he caused me!?”
“He was not the sole course of your ruin.” Tongbi started coldly, back handing the clone’s incoming strike with graceful ease and sending the auburn one crashing backwards into the stone and snow. “He is but one of many who were trapped and forced into a repeating cycle of torment and abuse because of her.”
“And yet he is given honours! Praised and rewarded for building a utopia despite the thousands of lives stolen and buried in the sands to sustain his delusions! He does not deserve the second chance being offered to him! None of them deserve any of the graces and honours they have!” The clone snarled lunging at Tongbi again. “They’ve known for millenia that I was never to blame for anything and still, still they come, over and over and over again to ruin my life!”
“And you believe being left alone would have solved anything?” Tongbi asked, catching the swipe in one hand and flinging the auburn monkey over his shoulder with precise grace, letting gravity and momentum force him to land heavily on his already bleeding back, leaving him momentarily stunned and breathless.
It was a battle to prove worth and a battle to gain control over a life long coveted, but the longer the fight went on, the weaker the clone’s strikes had become. He was a clone after all, able to survive only on chi and stolen aura. Now, without a solid connection to the mindscape of his origin and the frail condition of his origin’s body, he could only take so much before his copied body failed and he was forced to stop.
“You were predestined to ascend into the Heavenly ranks and beyond the moment your egg hatched ‘neath the eyes of the Heavens. You are the second son of Wu Zhiqi and myself, the heir to powers even the Highest Heavenly beings bow to, you would have had to have faced their ire and displeasure one way or another, no matter the path you walked.”
“And yet every time, they determined my worth, my path and my trials! They decided they had the right to command and shape me into something they could use and discard when they no longer needed me! They took everything from me!!”
“They took nothing from you.” Tongbi corrected. “The rift between you and the Demon Bull King is a natural consequence of ageing and maturing, your distance from Mihou is-”
“They ruined me!” The auburn clone snarled, claws cutting through the fabric of Tongbi’s sleeve. “They tossed me into that wretched pot to try and cook the immortalities out of me! They burnt me to bones and aura, they sought to rend me down to dust and ash! And when that failed they cheated me!”
“Tathagata does not cheat.” Tongbi said, striking the clone’s face harshly. “Are you so arrogant that you forget what the Little Buddha taught you in this lifetime?”
The auburn clone stepped back, anger shifting to sudden confusion. “How do you-”
“Unfilial child!” Tongbi abolished sharply and the clone stopped, suddenly and genuinely stunned. “Do you think I don’t know you like I know my Liu’er Mihou? That I am blind to you just because you have hidden yourself away until now?”
“You-” The clone staggered back with a hint of something behind his eyes before he growled, lunging at Tongbi again. “Shut up!”
“No.” Tongbi said calmly, stepping easily around the new wave of strikes from the clone, no longer retreating, but not yet attacking. “You are made of anger, resentment and unresolved things, just as your sire and brother before you. You are no less careless or foolish then they were at their peak. Though I admit, they were wise enough to know when to accept defeat.”
“I am owed an unpayable debt by the world! I deserve-”
“Nothing.” Tongbi denied firmly, catching the clone’s tail and heaved him around and around several times before releasing the limb and letting the clone crash through two peaks and one small hill before coming to a stop in a bloody mess of limbs and debris. “You are owned exactly nothing, because you, Chikao Lingming, son of Chikao Mahou, are nothing but a constitution given life by Lingming Shíhòu, son of Wu Zhiqi and Tongbi Yuanhou, brother of Liu’er Mihou and Qi Xiaotain. And he, for all his grief, all his desire to sleep, will not allow you to become the monster they designed you to be.”
“Because he is a fool, too weak to do what should be done. Too soft to take what rightfully belongs to us.” The clone, Chikao Lingming spat around a mouthful of blood, left arm hanging limp at the elbow, right hand missing two fingers and back snapping in a sickening way as he forced himself to stand again. “Not that it matters. Even if he and the others chose to sleep, it will not rid them of me.”
“You think so?” Tongbi asked, tone calm, despite the faintest smile that played on his lips. The snow and winds masked the shift of his clothes as he reached up, pulling a single strand of fur from his neck, letting it slip from his finger tips into the wind.
“When the world wakes us again, which it will. For all that Heaven loves to proclaim itself the highest and mightiest power and authority, they are nothing but pretty fodder.” Chikao Lingming chuckled mirthlessly, unaware of the danger he was in. “They need me, and when they wake me, demanding help because they failed yet again, I will rip control of our body from him and the others, and finally have the power to take what I am owed!”
“You will not.” Was breathed softly against the shell of Chikao Lingming’s ear, before the clone could react, merciless hands grabbed his ruined back and flung him backwards, slamming him harshly into the ground again.
Chikao Lingming gagged, coughing up blood as he swiped at the air around him blindly, only to scream as claws laced through his fingers and pierced through his knuckles, forcing him to look up and meet the eyes of his attacker.
Eyes that had once been white were now entirely black pools with twin pits of jade green, that shone unnaturally bright. A third eye opened wide and unblinking, glaring at him. Fur that should be short and fine now long and thick, but not so much that it hid the swell of his attacker’s chest. No longer silver but faded gold, with streaks of bright bloody red, the colour of scars. And most frightening of all, the pitch black, deep festering bite mark along the right side of the neck, flesh and muscle ripped away with force to expose the collar and upper spine.
A death scar. One that did not heal because the one who bore it was a clone, a clone tainted by the same Madness that had borne him and Chikao Mahou.
“Your son’s plot of ruin upon Heaven and all who wronged him threatens our deal, Chikao Yuanhou.” Tongbi explained, the name of his clone forcing blooms of fear and uncertainty to blossom throughout Chikao Lingming’s body. “Correct him as you see fit.”
“You’re… When…?”
“I will not allow you to ruin this family, my son,” Chikao Yuanhou snarled, showing a mouthful of bloody teeth. “Not when I have died to keep it once already.”
The temperature of the room dropped sharply and Wukong gave a weak, broken chitter. A plea for warmth, for comfort and not to be left alone again.
Macaque flinched, clenching his teeth so tightly his gums bled, ignoring his own tears and trembling, focused solely upon keeping Wukong’s defenceless and frail body shielded and protected from whatever harm he could. He grabbed the nearest blanket and threw it over both himself and Wukong’s still deadly frail form, shielding them both from the sudden chill, cooing and hooting in response to Wukong’s plea, a promise to stay, to never leave again.
Wu Zhiqi closed his eyes before he laid beside his mate and sons, covering them with the long fur of his arms as he tucked them all tight against his chest, protecting them as he promised he always would.
Chikao Lingming choked on blood as he struggled beneath the bigger monkey’s assault.
Chikao Yuanhou was nothing like any opponent before, where other moved with predictable steps and followed patterns, she was like wind itself, deftly swift and unpredictable, making it impossible to draw on the collected knowledge and intelligence to combat and counter the onslaught of strikes and attacks that were utterly decimating his already ruined and broken body. She had managed to pin him down within only a handful of minutes, and now she was above him, heavy weight keeping him pinned even as he struggled, ruined fingers and broken claws tangling and caught in her long thick fur.
“You’ll kill us!” He accused before a slap connected with his face and jolted his upper spine with such force his throat momentarily clenched, leaving him struggling to breath and heaving horridly. “My Origin is weak! He will-”
“You have been cut off from the precious little stone. The others have cut themselves off from us and him. You alone will be killed here if you continue to defy your mother.” She snarled each statement, punctuating them with strikes that left him dazed and horridly unprepared for the next. “Submit and you may yet live as your youngest brother does. Continue this plot to ruin and blood shed, and I will send you to Chikao Mahou and your elder brother myself.”
Chikao Lingming hissed, daring to try and bite the hand holding his face, only to scream out as icy winds tore through and about his teeth, setting the nerve ablaze.
“That is your second strike. I shall not spare you again.” Chikao Yuanhou warned, a deadly tone cutting the air. “Submit.”
“You!” Chikao Lingming barked out, trying to struggle free, but the fire that had kept him going this long was dying, having burnt so brightly without sustainable fuel, the flames were now dying embers. “I won’t! I won’t! I won’t!”
“My son-”
“I DON’T NEED A MOTHER!” Chikao Lingming yelled, bloody tears of frustration and something else slipping free. “Neither of you were here for us! All your talk of loving us, wanting us to be family yet not once did you actually try to come back and help us when they abused us! You could have come back lifetimes ago. Stopped all of it from being constantly repeated and you didn’t! You don’t love us! You don’t care about us! You’re liars! Just like everyone else!”
“And this gives you the right to destroy everything? To become no better than the sovereign beasts that rule beyond our home? Has my son become stupid in his anger or are you deliberately being ignorant?” Chikao Yuanhou asked, keeping her weight on him, but not striking him.
“What else is there!? No one alive could stop me! And no one can deny I am owed an impossible debt! They did this to me knowing it would ruin everything for me! They deserve to be obliterated from the history books!” Chikao Lingming snarled, though his words were straining, no longer solely fueled by rage and discontent, but sorrow and bitter loathing. “They caused all of this! None of this would have happened if not for them! I wouldn’t be stuck with a duty I didn’t want! I wouldn’t have to pretend it doesn’t hurt! I wouldn’t be like THIS!!”
“You cannot blame the Heavens for all your burdens, my son.” She said sternly, shifting her weight just enough to no longer be crushing, but still not letting him up. “They are an instigator to much of it, but not all your grievances are their doing.”
“They started it! Every time things reset, they could have left me alone! Left us alone! I didn’t want anything to do with them! I never wanted Immortality or fame or the rest of their bullshit! I just wanted my troop happy, my mountain safe and my mate! They ruined all of that for me!”
“Then why didn’t you show yourself sooner?”
Chikao Lingming twisted his head sharply towards Tongbi, who stood atop a broken spire a few feet away from them, both hands behind his back and face calm.
“You were aware of the cycles, and yet, you did not speak up, even before the other parts of yourself formed. You could have whispered the truth to Shíhòu, even if only in warning, yet you stayed silent and allowed him to suffer repeatedly.”
“I… I…”
“You can not blame others when you yourself are complacent.”
“He wouldn’t have listened to me!” Chikao Lingming tried to defend his lack of action. “He wouldn’t-”
“How can you dare say he wouldn’t have listened when you didn’t even try?” Tongbi questioned. “You talk big, and you fight like a savage, but for all your bluster and display you’re not angry at the world. You’re angry at yourself.”
Chikao Lingming tried to argue, screaming insults into Chikao Yuanhou’s hand as she covered his mouth, until she squeezed just tight enough to make him stop and resolve to only glaring at the two of them through tear heavy eyes. “When you can speak without insults I will remove my hand.”
More muffled insults answered that statement.
“It is the truth, you are angry at your own lack of action, angry that you, despite knowing the outcome, did nothing to stop or prevent the pains and heartache Shíhòu suffered, because you are made not only of anger, resentment and unresolved things, but fear as well. Fear, self doubt and self-deprivation.” Tongbi went on, each word earning more muffled yells from the auburn clone, as there was little strength left to actually fight his way free from under the Mad clone of his. “You hate that you did nothing to stop it, and you fear that if you admit your failings, there will truly be nothing keeping others at your side. And so to hide it, you lash out, you argue and you fight to the point you will pin blame and anger upon everyone but yourself.”
That got a burst of struggling and furious snarls in response, but it was more akin to a kitten trying to struggle free from under the paw of a tiger. Tongbi steeled himself to focus on the ground beside the auburn clone as he said what had to be said, promising to repent for his coldness in full, whatever it might take.
He had to pull these harmful and wretched truths that his son had hidden within this auburn clone, he had to expose the truths of these twisted lies that kept his second son from truly healing, preventing him from truly opening his heart once again.
He had to reach the core of this clone’s form, the fragment of his son that gave him life and purpose, and convince that fragment it too was loved and wanted, before he was truly lost to the same vile Madness that had tainted Wu Zhiqi, Mihou and even him. It was possible, he knew it was possible now that he’d seen Mink, once at the very brink of Madness, now accepted and loved, tainted to the point of physical change and appearance from other clones, but free of the Madness entirely. All because he had let himself be vulnerable and honest with his Origin, with his fellow clones and in turn, they had accepted him across two lifetimes, without fear, without regret and wholly aware that while different from them, he was the strongest and only defence against threats Xiaotain still needed time to prepare for.
He could not be the one to do this for Mihou, not when Mihou needed the firm hand and ruthless truths only Wu Zhiqi had the stomach to speak aloud, without careful sweetness and tenderness to hide the sting of truth. Tongbi had never had the strength of his mate, but he did have the power to rip apart the false and twisted reasoning, and that, right now, was his only hope of reaching the true heart of this matter and properly confront and comfort this fragmented part of his son.
“You are afraid of admitting you are angry, admitting that you want to actively hurt those who have hurt you, that you have been actively hurting yourself because you know it will keep Mihou close with regret, he will denounce you and go back to actively avoiding you, that Xiaotain will come to fear you and avoid you. And worse of all in your mind,” He continued, finally looking at the auburn clone’s face, mentally slapping himself for being the course of both the tears and utter betrayal in those copied red gold eyes. “You fear being left alone by Wu Zhiqi and I again.”
Chikao Lingming released another string of curses and an attempt was made to lash out, but his hold on the stolen aura and chi from his Origin was all but gone now, leaving him with nought but the frail ashes, that were quickly shriveling away. Chikao Yuanhou removed her hand from his mouth when it became clear he was no longer insulting and cursing her Origin, but did not let him up.
“You weren’t here! You left us to their care and when they abused us you did NOTHING! You have so much power to your names and yet you allowed us to be tormented and tortured over and over again! You left us! And now you’re back, acting like you care, acting like we should be grateful you deemed us worthy to have your attention!” Chikao Lingming snarled through tears and lingering resentment, his struggling now so weak Chikao Yuanhou was actively keeping her weight off him to avoid crushing his already brittle bones.
“My son-”
“No! You don’t get to call me that! You abandoned us and now you expect us to just forgive that and be greatful!? No! Origin and the others can enjoy the lie, but I won’t!” The auburn clone snarled, his voice torn and his body shivering, trying to forcibly rip the blockade that kept him from drawing power from his Origin to keep fighting, but even he knew there was no way to get through now he was so weak. “I won’t let fake concern and false affection make us weak again!”
“Unfilial-” Chikao Yuanhou began to accuse, only to be silenced as Tongbi himself sharply jabbed a claw against the festering death scar, dispelling her and letting the strand of fur that was hers return to his neck.
Chikao Lingming braced for a strike, knowing it would send him back to the mindscape of his origin, where the others would suppress him again.
“You and Mihou are not our first cubs.” Tongbi said, his voice calm and tone factual, leaving Chikao Lingming lost for the moment.
When he tried to look up and retort, his voice died in his throat.
All around them, the translucent images of a time lost to the flames of the calamity played out in the snowfall, moments when the two of them sat together, cradling Tongbi’s lightly rounded belly, and then, Tongbi sobbing into his hands as Wu Zhiqi held him.
“We tried many methods, and eventually conceived a pair of twins. But they slipped away before we could hold them. I blamed myself, and when the Madness took hold of Wu Zhiqi, leading to the battle for dominance between him and Chikao Mahou, I learnt he had also blamed himself.”
The remembrance was a silent battle of brutal force, one that had far surpassed the fight Chikao Lingming had just endured, Tongbi using both his hands, the raw air currents and a sanjiegun to keep Chikao Mahou at bay, then the both of them falling into the waters that masked the truth of that battle’s end. Then, the two of them in a nest, cradling Thunder between them, and moments where they grew close again.
“We reconciled, and after recovering fully, we tried again, this time, it was he who conceived, but just as before, the child slipped away before birth. It was then that the calamity came, and the thought of leaving children to suffer that fate again postponed our dream. It was only when the Pillar of Heaven was discussed that we decided that we would shape our children from the elements of water and stone, just as we had been shaped by fire and air. That was when the liar tried to offer her assistance.”
The auburn clone flinched but didn’t stop himself growling at the mention of the late Goddess of Life. Her image did not appear in the snowfall, but the way both Wu Zhiqi and Tongbi’s remembrances moved away from someone was decisive and firm. Then the two of them, seated apart and focused as something small formed in their palms.
“We refused her,” Tongbi went on, “In the early days, even with all her power, we felt allowing someone else to carve our children was a mockery of our own abilities, and so we declined her offer and instead, we let the Primordial energies from whence we came flow through us once again as we shaped your eggs. In those early days, the risks of such a method gave us a ninety percent chance of failing.”
“Ninety… why would you risk it?” Chikao Lingming wheezed out, though it was choked and frail.
“Because we wanted children of our own.” Tongbi said, as if it was the most obvious answer to such a question, kneeling beside Chikao Lingming. “Children who were ours by blood, choice and of their own will. And so, we settled atop the two ancient mountains that had become part of the inner Pillar, and atop them, we forged your Primordial eggs. We would switch between mountains, sharing the task of cradling and feeding you our energies. We were there with you from your smallest flickers that threatened to die at a moment’s notice, to full, brightly burning cores that couldn’t be extinguished by anything or anyone. Only when we knew you would survive, did we agree to the plan of joining the boundary force being sent to fight off the lingering calamity. But in our haste to give you the safest and most stable home we never had, we grew complacent, and failed to properly vet our people.”
The wind began to pick up around them, to the point Chikao Lingming’s teeth were chattering. Tongbi reached out, and with the same hands that he brought pain just moments ago, gently pulled the auburn form into his chest, shielding him from the chill. He stiffened, expecting to be hurt again, but instead, the embrace was warm and distantly familiar.
“We knew that the boundary did not need both of us to survive, only to be properly established before we could share the duty of protecting it between us, one serving a few centuries to battle the calamity while the other raised and cared for the two of you. That had always been our plan.” The grey furred monkey explained, as the blizzard around them fell slowly silent and warmth slowly crept back over them, along with the sound of purring, and faint, muffled whispers from beyond the mindscape drifted in. “So on the day the boundary expedition began, we left caretakers, allies and all our love behind, in hopes that you would want for nothing and have every fortune and favour if you hatched before we could return, and set out to help establish the post that would become our first and last defence. Our intention was to help establish the boundary and then, I would come back and stay a few centuries, waiting for you both to hatch and caring for you both until Wu Zhiqi required rest and time to recover. Then I would go to the boundary and he would see to your care and rearing.”
“You… you both…” Chikao Lingming babbled, then shook his head violently, trying to cling to the anger that was fading away. “No… no this… this can’t… You… you don’t… you didn’t…”
There was a faint tug and Chikao Lingming knew he was no longer separated from the other constitutions of his Origin. They had returned to the deeper shared mindscape, in the palms of Fury, held in the joint embrace of Strife, Death, War and Order. He took a breath, ready for the pain that would send him under again, but the suppression he expected didn’t come. Instead, they embraced him, holding him as they often did Origin, silent, but protective and gentle.
He didn’t fight it, too tired to try and too raw to question it.
“You... Didn’t abandon us?” Shíhòu dared to ask, fresh tears spilling down his face.
“We never meant to leave you alone, my son. All these years, we’ve raged and tried to breach the pillar from the outside, trying to return to you both… so many millenia, I have cursed that worm for her cruelty, but more than that, I have cursed myself for not doing more to make sure you both knew how much we loved you, how much we wanted you, and how precious you are to us.” Tongbi said, letting the unshed tears in his own eyes finally fall as he cradled his son in his arms. “We failed you, and for that, I am so, so sorry, bǎobèi.”
“You… you won’t… leave?”
“Never again, my son.” Tongbi promised, feeling dampness spread along his chest as Shíhòu’s still trembling arms reach around and cling to him, desperate to believe just one last time that such a promise could be kept. “Never ever again.”
The chill of the room faded as Wukong went limp in Macaque’s arms, spreading panic and dread through the dark furred monkey’s body for all of a moment before the smallest pull came from a thread so frail and brittle Macaque feared it had already snapped by his own actions and words long ago.
It is weak, faint, actively trying to be ignored, but he felt it and had to force himself not to flood it with too much all at once, no matter how much his heart screamed at him to do so. Instead, he waited, feeling that delicate thread quiver before the smallest breath of familiar warmth of Wukong’s chi slipped along it, testing the stability while trying not to be noticed, fearing rejection. He let that warmth creep closer, until it almost reached his core. But it dared not make an attempt to connect with him fully.
Unable to bear the thought of losing this chance to try and mend what was between them, he reached out, letting a bead of his own chi slip out and coil around Wukong’s, following it back to the source and brushed against it, not to force the connection, not to unite them again, just to make it clear he was there, he wanted to reconnect and he was willing to try and earn the right to this closeness again.
He felt Tongbi and Wu Zhiqi shift around them, but said nothing, only faintly hearing them speak as sleep crept over him.
“Wu Zhiqi… I…” Tongbi began, his voice weak and words trembling. “I…”
“You are tired.” Wu Zhiqi said softly, moving his hand to gently cradle Tongbi’s face as he held all three of them in his arms, protected and warm. “Sleep. We shall speak of what happened after you and our cubs have properly rested.”
“I hurt him…” Tongbi sobbed, a broken sound that Macaque hated hearing. “Our little pebble… I- I hurt him so much… I-”
“We have both hurt our sons, my love. And you will apologise for the pain you caused our pebble today, when you are both calm and rested. Just as I did when I spoke with our droplet.” Wu Zhiqi assured, and Macaque realised ‘pebble’ and ‘droplet’ were affectionate pet names for Wukong and him respectively. “Let it be put aside for the time being, and rest, my love. I am here and I have you and our cubs in my arms. As long as I am here, no harm will befall any of you.”
The sound of Tongbi’s soft affirmation was the last clear thing heard before Macaque felt the once laxed arms of the gibbon move and cradled both him and Wukong close, silent tears soaking the pillow above them while still trembling fingers gently carded through their fur, both to offer them comfort and to sooth the lingering unhappiness in Tongbi’s heart.
Tomorrow was not going to be easy. But for the moment, Macaque was willing to let himself ignore what was to come in favour of the very real possibility that Wukong wasn’t lost to him entirely.
It was early in the evening when MK flew back to the Mountain on his nimbus cloud, Thunder clinging to his back while Savage and Rumble clung to his chest, hidden under his jacket to keep them from getting a chill from the wind, until they passed the flaming mountains that enclosed the island, and the winds turned gentle and warm, coaxing the three to peak out and reach out, tracing the low clouds with their finger tips, cooing and hooting in wonder.
He smiled, and slowed down, just enough to let them play and enjoy the clouds a little longer before he shifted his nimbus’ path and brought them down and into the heart of the Mountain, passing through the barrier easily and coming to a stop by one of the glassless windows, smiling as the cubs climbed down to the floor and walked on their own.
They reached Wu Zhiqi and Tongbi’s room, and found it open slightly, the scent of tears heavy from within, after a moment the cubs peeked into the room and Thunder gave a weak questioning hoot.
“It’s alright cubs.” Tongbi coaxed softly, his voice rough from crying. “You can come in.” The cubs cooed sadly and hurried in, scrambling up onto the bed.
MK followed after them, smiling a sad smile at the scene before him. Wu Zhiqi sat up at the edge of the nest, peeling tangerines and picking the pith from them before setting them into a bowl with other peeled and cut fruits. Tongbi was leant against his side, face tearstained and eyes red, but there was a smile on his face. Thunder had climbed up and settled herself in Tongbi’s lap, using her hands to wipe away the lingering tears while Rumble and Savage had crawled under Wu Zhiqi’s cloak and were now cooing at Macque and Wukong, who were both quiet, safe the soft sniffles and gentle hoots in response to the twins.
Clearly, the three of them were exhausted, but whole and for now, stable and for the first time in what MK guessed was a lifetime, cuddling. Tails tangled in a loose coil, Wukong tucked into Macaque’s chest, his arms around the black monkey’s back and tears silently falling, Macaque’s arms around Wukong’s back, one hand gently stroking the back of Wukong’s head.
“Come.” Wu Zhiqi bid softly, and MK smiled, climbing into the nest and settled with Tongbi and Wu Zhiqi, letting Tongbi groom him to calm himself while Wukong and Macaque rested.
“What now?” MK asked before the quiet calm could begin to make Wukong feel unsteady.
“In thirty days, if Shíhòu is recovered enough from the injuries he sustained today, I intend to take him somewhere and let him make a choice without pressure.”
“Where?” MK asked.
“A place once used to try and harm me, but instead became my place of rebirth.” Wu Zhiqi said, “Its name was stricken from the Realms, and the memory of it erased so cleanly, only Tathagata and myself remember the pathway to enter it.”
“Will you be gone long?” MK asked.
“It will be a few hours for you, but for us, it will be a celestial century.” Wu Zhiqi admitted. “You will forgive my clinging upon our return, won’t you?”
MK chuckled. “I might, if you let me paint a mural in the palace,” he offered.
Wu Zhiqi chuckled and tussled his fur enough to dislodge the head ribbon so it covered his eyes. “Cheeky, I would let you do that anyway. This palace is your home just as it is ours, I ask only that you not paint over any of the existing art, unless it is to restore them.” He said and MK smiled brightly. “I will acquire some rare celestial paints and brushes for you, as added compensation for this separation.”
“Thank you, big brother.” MK chirped, thoroughly pleased with himself, and accepted the offered slice of apricot from Tongbi, leaning into the loose hug from the grey monkey happy to let him continue grooming through his fur.
He would ask later about what had happened in the mindscape and the time since they came back. But for now, he was happy to be hugged and groomed, fed fruit and babied after being away.
It would take further work and care, but now both Macaque and Wukong had allowed themselves to let go of the roots of their shared grief and pain, true healing could begin.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*hands out tissue boxes and water bottles* no, there are no ninja's chopping onions, nor is someone venting tear gas into the room. Yes you are allowed to take extra tissue boxes and water bottles.
This one was hard, very, very hard and I want you all to know I struggled with this one.
Also the word 'Bǎobèi' ( 寶貝 ) can mean Baby, but can also mean Treasure and/or Treasured Object, both of which I think suit this story line.
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If I have to cry, you will too 🫵
