Mk's whole world was fuzzy. Everything slowed down, he felt a piercing feeling in his chest.

Mei was screaming, rushing toward him, all else frozen.

He wondered why until he looked down. Huh. He'd been right about the whole piercing thing at least, with the metal pole going straight through his chest. . "Oh...oh man." The ground seemed very close all of a sudden. Two sets of hands were telling him to stay awake, at least he thought. One set of hands was warm, shaking, begging him to stay alive so he could best him later. The other calloused from years of video games and hard training, sobbing into his ears.

A third set appeared and lifted him up, a solemn tone that almost slipped from his mind. Why did everything seem so far away? It was awfully fuzzy, so out of focus like a camera.

"...get him some help...stop the bleeding...take the pipe out...handle the Spider Queen." Was that Sandy or Pigsy? He wasn't quite sure.

After that, it was all black.

%%%

Red Son wasn't sure of what he thought of 'Noodle Boy', or Mk until today. On one hand, he was the biggest nuisance. Always ruining his plans, making a mockery of him, it was humiliating. On the other, he saw this bright beautiful radiance, one he couldn't quite ignore. Mk was a flower full of sweet nectar and by the gods did Red Son wanted a drink of it. There was something about the guy that made Red Son want to flaunt, to show off, to bring his best to almost each and every fight that they had. To tell witty quips and jokes as they beat each other to a pulp.

But what happened had cemented it. Spider Queen had launched another attack, trying to take over again. With unsaid words the two rivals teamed up to take her down once again.

Red Son could only watch as some debris was coming his rivals way. He wasn't fast enough, not fast enough to push him away, or destroy the stuff. He could watch as a long metal pipe went through Mk's chest, red blood he'd seen so many times now searing itself in his vision.

His legs moved before his mind, rushing forwards to catch him before he fell. That girl Mk always hung out with was there too, they shared a glance as they made sure that nowhere else was bleeding.

"Oh gods, noodleboy, please. Don't go to sleep on me, do NOT go into the light!" Red Son felt cold tears run down his face, he didn't want to see his rival go like this. They were supposed to either have a epic showdown, with one finally beating the other, and then mourning the loss of the one person who could beat him. Or one of them finally joining the other as combat brothers, finally taking the world by storm. Side by side. Not this, not being killed by some debris in the way, no, Red Son wouldn't allow it.

Then that blue man came and picked him up, and just, Mk looked so pale and weak.

"Listen, I'm going to get him some help, I'll go back to the base to stop the bleeding and take the pipe out. Everyone else, handle the Spider Queen." After that, Sandy was running to his plane, speeding off in seconds.

Red Son felt something inside spark, as Spider Queens laughter filled the air.

He barely noticed Wukongs arrival, and the great sage being filled in on what happened to his adoptive son. The air was far colder than before. Even his father and mother were outraged.

Then, the spark turned into a flame. He hadn't been able to use this ability in centuries.

Once again he was rushing forwards, face filled with rage as the true flames of samadhi burst forth from his body.

Dragon horse girl was right beside him, Wukong and his parents just behind.

She looked at him, the same rage in her eyes, the fury.

"SPIDER QUEEN!" The two shouted in tandem, their minds holding the same thought. 'Destroy this bitch.'

%%%

Mei had known Mk, or Xiaotian for a few years. She had seen his highs and lows. But never had he gotten hurt this bad.

When she saw the pipe go through him, her blood ran colder than it ever had before. Sure, she'd seen him bruised, so many cuts and small injuries, but nothing this bad.

She rushed forward, making sure he didn't hit the ground, holding him along with Red Son.

Mei could handle some serious injuries, being a dragon was very useful, but Mk? He was very much human, he wasn't like everyone else in their group, even Tang, who was quite literally the reincarnation of Tripitaka, could probably brush something like this off. Sure Mk was a bit stronger than other people, because of his new found powers but that didn't mean he couldn't die. She'd seen it first hand, humans were just so fragile, delicate, and one fatal error could end their life. And the pipe draining so much blood, hitting somewhere extremely vital too, could just be Mk's fatal error.

Sandy had come just in time, and she didn't hear anything he said. Her inner dragon rearing up. She thought of Mk as the brother she'd never had. The dragon sword connected her to her ancestors.

"You know what to do Mei. Defeat the Spider Queen."

Her eldest grandfather himself spoke, everyone else murmuring in agreement.

"I will remove every trace that she existed off the face of the Earth itself."

With those words she stood, rising with Red Son at her side, not caring about the bright blue flames coming from him, flickering at her clothes.

Together as one they ran forward. She noted Iron Fan, DBK and the Monkey King behind them.

"SPIDER QUEEN!" She screamed, Red Sons voice harmonizing with her own.

For as rivals, they fought with jokes, and lunch breaks, as allies, they fought with silence and no mercy.