The demon of the week stumbles back from the cackling monkey, cudgel resting on his shoulder. Behind him Sandy pulls Tripitaka out of the binds that restrained him, bracing against the ogre the monk looks towards his oldest student.
“Monkey.” He warns.
“Don’t worry master.” Monkey tips his head back to look over his teacher.
The demon seeing an opening plunges their hand into their pouch pulling out a handful of powered. As Monkey turns his head the demon blows the dust into his face making the ape cough, backing away. The staff hits the ground as the monkey folds over himself, hacking and coughing. The demon slips away as it’s would be killer gasping for breath. Sandy steps forward large hand resting on the much smaller back.
“Brother?”
Monkey straightens gasping, red eyes wide as the golden gibbon struggles for breath. The air around him shimmers and swirls sinking into his fur and pilgrim clothes. Sandy feels usually hot running fur under his hand go cold for a moment before the body under his hand pull away as the monkey falls to his knees. The furred body wraiths on the ground as it folds into itself, clothing pooling over the much smaller body human speech falling into clicks and squeaks of a monkey. The pilgrims look at each other in confusion before Sandy reaches into clothes pulling a small golden monkey cub who growls biting into the ogre’s hand.
The giant winces as small fangs dig into the heel of his palm, blood dripping over golden fur. Even smaller claws dig into his flesh, small red eyes glaring up at him. Growls vibrating through the fragile body.
“Brother.” Sandy pleas as he tries to get the monkey to release his hand. Only a growl and eyes darting about answered him. Only the approach of Pigsy brings the monkey to release the hand and falling to the ground and running into the bushes
“Monkey!” Tripitaka calls at Aio Li side who halts to keep track of the small form that quickly disappeared in the underbrush. The monk huffs looking to Pigsy, “Go get him.”
“What?”
“We don’t have time for his antics.” Tripitaka turns to Aio Li gripping the saddle, the horse dragon snorts looking at the monk. “Go find him and catch up with us.”
The pig grumbles but goes into the underbrush. Kicking and pushing his way through the bushes and young trees, rake catching on seemingly everything. Cursing trickster monkeys the pig huffs and puffs, searching for any sign of golden fur.
“Big brother?” He yells, growling when no answer comes his way. Kicking sticks out of his way he continues his search for the miniscule monkey, keeping an eye out for any tricks his elder brother might throw his way. He trampes through the forest for over an hour before he finally catches sight of golden fur high up in a tree. Looking up at the base he stares up at the golden spot before summing a cloud floating up. The small monkey hisses at his approach, red eyes glowing.
The pig not realizing what was going reaches out to grab the small monkey only to be blasted off his cloud by a powerful beam of light. Wrenching himself out of the small crater he glares up at the little monkey, before brandishing his rake.
Five hours later Pigsy staggers into the camp his brothers and master made for the night, a growling spitting monkey bundled in a sack.
“What happened?” the Tang monk questions.
“Don’t ask.” The pig grumbles dumping the sack on the ground before falling over near the fire.
Aio Li noses the bag in his horse form, jerking back as claws prick through the fabric accompanied by a growl. Shifting, he circles the bag hand placed on his chin in wonder.
“He hasn’t changed back?”
“Not once.” Pigsy grumbles from the dirt.
“That’s odd.” Sandy comments from his spot on the other side of the fire, his mending resting in his lap.
“That is odd.” The monk agrees eyeing the squirming bag, “Has he spoken?”
“Only screamed. Nearly busted my ear drums.”
“That is troubling. Sandy.” The monk looks to the blue giant, “Could you go ask Guanyin if she any advice on what to do?”
“Sure.” The ogre sets the travel worn clothing aside, dusting his pants before hopping on a cloud going off to the lotus pavilion.
Arriving at her palace Sandy is led by a confused attendant, the goddess equally confused at his appearance.
“Has something happened?” She asks.
“It’s brother Monkey. After a fight with a demon, he has shrunk to that of a normal monkey and has been acting not himself.”
“Where is he now?”
“Brother Pig has captured him in a sack, but it took him some hours to retrieve elder brother.”
“Let us see him.” She stands her lotus dais glowing at her approach.
The two return to the Pilgrim camp, where luggage and debris was scattered about. The fellow Pilgrims also scattered. The goddess hovers above studying the destroyed camp, Sandy hops off going to the monk that was being supported by the dragon horse.
“Guanyin.” The monk bows.
“What happened?”
“Monkey broke out of his containment and escaped.”
The goddess hums looking around the area, “And where is he now?”
‘Somewhere in the forest ma’am.”
She looks at her attendants who bow to her before going off into the forest. A few minutes later they return.
“Did you find him?”
“Yes goddess. He is acting like a feral creature, and his size and appearance more like that of a common monkey.”
“Where you able to approach him.”
“No ma’am.” The second says, “He fled upon our approach, with no sign of his normal bluster or tricks."
She hums tipping her head, “This is a problem. If he has fallen into the intelligence of a common monkey than he will continue to flee and escape with his abilities.” She looks to one attendant, “Go to Water Curtain Cave and retrieve the Spirit Macaque King.”
“Yes goddess.” The attendant goes off.
Three hours later the attendant returns with a black furred monkey demon who glares venomously at the monk. His disciples quickly blocking him from view, hands gripping their weapons. The monkey snorts and looks to the goddess walking casually towards her.
“You summoned me goddess.” He asks, words dripping with ill consealed distain.
“I did. It is Sun Wu’kong.”
“I do see he is missing. Did he finally give up on this farce?” He eyes the pilgrims, “If you’re trying to get me to replace him think again.”
“The king has potentially fallen under a spell. One that has taken his intelligence.”
“Not like that’s hard.” The monkey strolls around the platform. “I don’t see him, so I am guessing you lost him.”
“He is in the forest.” The attendant that stayed answers, hand coming up to show a glowing orb with a bright glowing dot contained within. “He has not moved from where he has fled.”
“And I am here because?”
“Will you help us retrieve him so we can figure out what spell he has fallen under?”
The monkey raises a brow, crouching in thought. “What’s in it for me?”
“I was hoping your loyalty would allow you to assist the king.”
“My help will not free him from being collared. But you do not wish to harm him or risk going against the Buddha's command. So again why should I help you?”
“Wu’kong is under a spell. One that has taken his sentience. Does it not anger you that your king is now nothing but an animal.”
The black monkey growls, tail flicking sharply. “I am not doing this for you or the monk.” He says before melting into a pool of shadows. The goddess raises a hand hiding her face with her sleeve. The pilgrims stare at where the monkey once stood.
Stepping out of the shadows a bit away from the camp Macaque sighs, before shedding the mask of nonchalance for a look of worry. Looking around he notices the path the celestial lackies made through the forest, following the trail he sniffs the air catching the potent scent of the king. Fear mudding the sharp bittersweet scent. As he approaches a densely thicketed area he hears short sharp clicks that bring him to a sharp stop, there was a terrified monkey in the area.
Vocalizing he calls to the monkey, ears flicking before finding the source high above. A glimmer of gold followed by a glimpse of red eyes peering down at him through thick leaves. Crouching he warbles announcing he was friendly and wanting to help. The sound that answered sent a chill down his spine, instead of the expected answering hoot he got a grackle. Cold realization creeps through the black macaque. The king wasn’t changed into a simple monkey, he was deaged. Something that should have been impossible. But above him was something the world has never seen, an infant stone monkey. Cooing he opens his arms, keeping track as the small golden monkey slowly emerged, grackles continuing as the infant slides down a branch before letting go falling into the welcoming arms.
Holding his king close Macaque continues cooing, soothing the terrified cub who burrows into his clothes and armor. Grackle changing to distress chirps sharp claws digging into heavenly iron leaving thin scratches. Curling, he continues to sooth the cub, one hand spanning across a thin back. Ribs poking through the still diamond tuff skin, frazzled thin fur carded gently. A small face presses into his neck, clutching the thicker fur of his mane impossibly small claws find their equally tough skin under the thick fur.
Wu’kong despite being younger still carried his travel worn statues. Dust and dirt covers his once shimmering fur. His frame thin and underweight, what once was broad strong shoulders have been rounded in youth with no fat to be found. Only thin stringy muscles under dry worn skin. Shielding the cub he wonders about the fights his king had to have front while in this state. His proud king of now only a shell of his former glory. Years of imprisonment and punishing treatment stripped him of both fat and finely tuned muscle leaving him with only that of what his ill gotten immortality has sculpted. He wonders if even in his probation has he been eating properly. He knows monks have to take what is given to them but from what he can feel under his fingers he knows that the state of his fur was more than just travel wear and tear. He feels cold realizing that even among those Wu’kong sees as brothers he was uncared for. Has none of them realized they have neglected their imprisoned brother?
Shaken out of his thoughts when he feels a growl come from his own chest he quickly hushes the peep of concern that comes from the sleepy cub whose red eyes flash out of his fur to look around to what has scared the one that hold him. Stroking behind the cubs ear he rocks him lulling him back into slumber. Turning he melts into the shadows traveling back to the goddess, despite being tempted to just take the king back home he knows he alone couldn’t figure out what was wrong.
His emergence makes the monk shriek grinning with a bit to much teeth he watches the monk use the dragon disguised horse as a shield. Waltzing up to the lotus platform he sits comfortable on its floor, ignoring the disapproving looks from the attendants. He was the warrior of the Great Sage Equal to Heaven. He was the kings equal in all but immortality, who was he to care about the reverence or kowtowing that the others seem to expect him to give. His king would sit on the platform so shall he. The goddess for her part seems to understand this not even phased by his actions. Maybe she wasn’t that bad of a celestial.
“You found him.”
“I did. And he wasn’t changed into a monkey.”
“He sure acts like a wild ape.” The pig monk grumbles, rake slung a little to securely on his shoulder for the macaques liking.
Snorting Macaque ignores him focusing on his little charge, “With that face I wouldn’t expect much else of an reaction from a child.”
“The king is a child?” The goddess asks, sitting beside him. Voice softened in wonder.
Raising a brow at her action he allows more of the cub to be seen, “Pretty obvious if you ask me.”
The muttering from the pig catches his attention, turning he glares at the swine making the large demon flinch rake raising before they look away. Sniffing Macaque strokes behind the ears of the cub who hoots quietly at him before focusing on the goddess. The goddess seems equally intrigued, her usual royal demeanor replaced with that of any person with something cute place in front of them. Her low coos keeping the cubs attention as they reach out towards her with one paw like hand, the other staying fisted in the dark furred monkey’s sash.
“He’s so cute like this.” She says, giving her hand to curious fingers that eagerly explore her dainty fingers and the jewelry around her wrists. “I do sense another’s magic on him.”
“I do as well. He’s not staying like this on his own.” Macaque gently removes grabby hands from trying to steal the goddess’s jewelry, the goddess no help as she laughs at the little protest shriek coming from the cub.
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah. He wouldn’t do this just randomly.” He eyes the pilgrims, “Specially if danger was still around.”
“That is a problem.” The goddess says as the cub tries to climb into her lap, she happily scooping him up to hold the gleeful cub to her face. “Its to bad.” She coos smiling at the pats to her cheek, “He’s essential to this mission.” She guides the cub to her chest and shoulder allowing him to wrinkle her robes.
“He’s not going to be able to be the monks guard dog.”
“Indeed.” She guides curious fingers to her brooch instead of her hair, “Which is why I have another favour to ask you.”
Macaque narrows his eyes, guard raising. “If its anything but taking him back home than it’s a no.”
“This journey is important.”
“I want nothing to do with this.” He gestures at the Pilgrims.
“It’s just until Wu’kong recovers.”
“And when will that be?” He challenges. “I will not be leashed into this.”
The goddess frowns brushing her fingers over the fillet that rests on the cub’s head. “Wu’kong’s punishment is the repent for the damages the brotherhood that the both of you were in caused. He has spent his time to think and now he is being reformed. The only reason his punishment was so severe was because he picked up the transgressions for not only his actions but all of you. Is it only right that he as his shadow step up when he cannot?”
Macaque growls catching the others attention, the pilgrims flinch the two demons clutching their weapons close. The attendants also grip their weapons close. Wu’kong warbles ears pressed against his skull as he hides into the fabric of the goddess’s robe. Cutting off the growl at the cubs distress he clear his throat crossing his arms.
“I will not defend the monk. He has those two to keep him safe. I am going to take care of Wu’kong and only him.”
“We don’t need you.” The pig growls stepping forward.
Glaring at the pig Macaque stands up, “The goddess carries a point. Besides I cant even trust you with Wu’kong as an adult. How can I just leave him like this in your care?”
“Now that he is calm how hard can it be?” The Ogre asks.
“Do any of you have experience with children?” Macaque saunters over circling the two warriors. The looks on everyone’s faces telling him enough. “I thought not.” He flicks his tail towards the cub, “So think of this. You are not happy to have me along and I am not happy to come along.”
He walks back over to the dais fishing the cub out of the excessive amount of fabric earning an angry shriek from the cub who flails trying to return to the sea of fabric. Keeping ahold of the squirming cub he looks at the goddess.
“This is temporary.”
She nods standing she returns to the center, her attendants climbing aboard.
After she leaves Macaque sooths the whining cub who pouts hiding behind his head. Small paws clinging to the fur behind his ears. Glancing at the group he turns his back on them and climbs the closes tree, well out of reach of the tallest of the group and focuses on feeding the cub with the small stash of food he had tucked away in the shadows.