I often forget to write this so I'm gonna say it here.

Taro twirls his sword a lot.

Enjoy.

xxxxxxxXxxxxxx

At the wood temple hotel's main lobby.

"So what you're saying is that your camping trip was interrupted by a demon?" Asked Juniper tree spirit calmly as she stood in front of Taro and his three companions with an expression that showed some concern. Taro and his friends nodded. "And you're now hunting down said demon because they're after you? And said demon is in the city?"

"AND because she robbed me of my beauty sleep. We can't forget such an unforgivable sin." Added Zi in a serious tone with a clear nod, prompting Juniper spirit to sigh with a glare at Taro as the peach boy avoided eye contact.

Juniper spirit wore an expression decorated with anger and disappointment before speaking in a stern tone. "You're all grounded." Taro and his companions froze in shock. "I know i can't actually stop you from leaving, but if you four have any conscience left in you you'll stay!" She exclaimed angrily clenching her fists before sighing and turning around.

Without waiting for a response, Juniper stormed out of the area leaving the four companions shook. None of them dared to utter anything, letting awkward silence fill the lobby. Taro stared at the floor for a few moments before slowly making his way up to his room with his companions in tow. The other tree spirits, aside from Bamboo Spirit, saw him on the way and looked at him with upset or disappointed expressions making Taro quicken his steps. Once I Taro's room, Zao headed towards his dog house that was set up in the room as Zi flew towards a nest set up on a shelf while Zuzu layed on a hammock next to Taro's bed. "Sooo, that was awkward." Zuzu broke the ice scratching the back of his head. Zi nodded silently as Zao grumbled something unintelligible.

Taro let out a short groan as he heard a whisper in his ears. "Oh, so you're only now just realizing they have feelings too? I guess with your powers you could just make other tree spirits and forget about these "lesser beings" right?" It was his dark doppelganger hallucination or whatever. Taro didn't bother to give him a name. Taro grit his teeth as he dug his face into his pillow, trying to ignore his doppelganger's words. But they were like sharp digging into his heart, forcing a silent yet desperate sob from the boy's throat.

With nothing else to do and seeing Taro on his bed, the three Z's decided to sleep. However, the peach boy's eyes were wide awake. Seeing his friends sleeping, Taro got out of bed and headed outside his room in the middle of the night. He looked around left and right before noticing a familiar tree spirit, Bamboo Spirit at the end of the corridor. The peach boy tried to say something before changing his mind and turning around only to be met with the figure of Bamboo Spirit standing right in front of him. "You need something, dear?" She asked softly with a smile almost causing Taro to jump back in surprise.

Taro recomposed himself before speaking. "I always forget you're not actually old. Well, you are. But- ah, forget it." He said dejectedly earning a hearty chuckle from the Bamboo Tree Spirit. "Aren't you mad at me? It feels like everyone here hates me."

"Of course I am. I'm no monk." Deadpanned Bamboo Spirit, causing Taro to awkwardly scratch the back of his head. "Also, make no mistake, they don't hate you. They're angry because they care about you. You're family to us. But you disappeared, lied about it and refused to explain anything."

Taro went silent as he narrowed his eyes. "But why?" He asked in confusion. "We can take care of ourselves and you know that." The elder spirit went dreadfully silent, causing the peach boy to pay more attention to her next words.

"Boy you're dense." The peach boy felt as if Bamboo Spirit slammed a brick into his face.

"H-HEY!" Exclaimed Taro with a pout, crossing his arms as flowers sprouted out of his head from embarrassment. Bamboo Spirit giggled loudly at the boy's reaction before replying.

"Not in that way." She said with a calm smile before softly ruffling the boy's pink hair. "You may have brains and brawns that grow with each passing day, but your heart has never grown up a second from the moment we found you sealed all those years ago." Without waiting for a reply, the tree spirit started walking away calmly. "Now go get some rest. You have chores tomorrow."

The peach boy could only stare at the tree spirit's back as he thought about what she had said.

xxxxxXxxxx

The next day.

"And that's all the chores done." Said Taro calmly holding a mop over a shiny clean floor. "Better get to the others qui-"

"Wait!" Before Taro could take more than a single step forwards, he was met with Cedar spirit's hand in front of his face. "There's still one left." Cedar said calmly. "We need you to go get 6 helpings of noodles from Pigsy's."

Taro's expression was a mix of confusion and awkwardness as he recalled his last interaction with MK and the gang. "Doesn't MK do deliveries? And shouldn't it be seven?" He asked with a nervous smile before Cedar spirit turned around with a grumpy expression. "Right, you're still mad at me. "*Sigh* I'll go." Taro took a deep breath before whistling for his friends who all appeared in front of him in a flash of light a second later. Taro gestured for his friends to follow as he treaded towards the hotel entrance with heavy steps.

It was a silent and awkward walk to Pigsy's. The three Z's quickly deciphered where they were they were going and awkwardness descended upon them. "Was challenging the Monkey King this...hard?" Asked Zi with a frown before his companions shook their heads. Not long after, the peach boy stood in front of Pigsy's before taking a deep breath.

The Peach Boy opened the door before seeing the figure of MK fake smiling with the others. "Maybe we should-" Taro said before he was cut off by MK charging at him like a rocket.

"Gotcha! You're not leaving again!" Exclaimed MK as he latched onto Taro's leg. The peach boy shook his leg trying to get MK off to no avail before sighing in defeat. The three Z's watched this happen as if it was a movie in a cinema. "Guys! Get him!" Without hesitation, everyone else jumped onto the peach boy squishing him under the weight.

"Why is everyone suddenly so concerned with where I go?" Taro asked with a deep frown before turning to his three companions, particularly Zuzu who was holding a bag of popcorn. "Zuzu, I can smell the popcorn. This isn't a movie!"

"Where the heck have you been man?!" Asked MK in a serious tone.

"And what happened with you and Monkey King?" Added Mei not a moment after.

"How do you even know Monkey King?" Added Tang curiously.

"Why aren't you telling us anything?" Asked Pigsy angrily.

"And what hair products do you use? Your hair feels and smells really nice." Added Sandy cheerfully.

"Yeah! Spill them hair products!" Agreed Mei in a serious tone.

Under the bombardment of questions, Taro resorted to whistling for Zao who immediately barked at the gang with exposed teeth. Everyone immediately got off the peach boy in fear. "Look, I just came here for six helpings of noodles for my folk back at the hotel and NOT to answer your questions!" Said the peach boy only to hear a mess of sounds as everyone asked different questions at the same time. "I'm just gonna leave-"

"Wait! At least take this before you go!" Yelled MK desperately, getting Taro's attention. The peach boy noticed something in the Monkie Kid's hands, his gold colored hat. The one he lost during his fight with the monkey king. Taro's eyes widened in surprise before MK continued. "And uhhh...sorry for digging my staff into your eye back then. But I just couldn't-"

Taro groaned as he took his hat back from MK and put it on, cutting MK off. "Fine. I'll stay. Just don't talk about any of the awkward stuff." He said as he adjusted his hat before he saw MK beam with happiness. The peach boy sighed before taking a seat in front of the counter. MK saw this and was about to ask where Taro was before he stopped himself. A chill ran down his spine as flashes of a certain demon appeared in his mind.

"...Taro, how did you get so strong?" Asked MK in a serious tone, surprising Taro before the Monkie kid started laughing nervously. "Y'know, just curious. Ol' MK curiosity. Hehe."

Taro sweat dropped in concern at MK's tone. "Well, I'm not that strong." He muttered scratching his head before MK squished his face angrily.

"YOU BEAT MONKEY KING!" Yelled MK shaking his big bro in frustration.

"Correction, WE beat monkey king." Replied Taro getting out MK's grasp before gesturing towards his three companions. "A team in harmony is better than one in perfection. Azure, Tusk and even Peng hammered that lesson into us." Everyone stared at Taro curious about these unfamiliar names before the boy spoke. "They were our mentors. Now if you don't have any other questions, can I get my noodles?"

"Oooh, can we do that too?" Mei asked Sandy with a smile as MK's shoulders dropped dejectedly before she spoke in an announcer voice. "All of us, all of us as one, as one fighting together in perfect harmony against the forces of evil!"

"Nope." Deadpanned Taro. Mei's head snapped to Taro's direction with a furious expression on her face. "You guys have never had coordination training."

"Says the guy who disappeared for who knows how long and hid his grudge against the monkey king!" Exclaimed Mei crossing her arms. "At least WE value friendship!" Taro glared at Mei as the horse dragon girl did the same.

"I value friendship." Taro's eyes narrowed angrily. "But friendship doesn't mean anything in a fight if you're not coordinated enough!" Taro expected Mei to understand and back down, but was surprised when Mei smiled victoriously.

"Well, me and MK have perfect coordination and we've never had coordination training so there's that!" She said crossing her arms with a smug expression.

Taro, unimpressed frowned and spoke. "And who did you fight with this coordination?"

Nervousness appeared on Mei's face. "Uhh... princess iron fan." She said fidgeting with her hands.

"And did you win?" Asked Taro raising a brow only for Mei's face to shrink silently as she couldn't say the answer. "Case closed. Friendship alone doesn't make a group a good team."

"You saying we're a bad team?" Asked Mei with an angry expression as she glared at Taro.

"If by bad you mean untrained, then yes. Yes, you are." Replied Taro glaring at Mei with a frown.

"Guys! Guys!" MK stood between his two friends. "I'm sure there's a way to-" before MK could finish his sentence, two glowing swords clashed inches from his face.

"Oh, it's on." Said the two sword wielders in unison as they glared at each other. Everyone else, especially Sandy, sweat dropped nervously at the scene. "First hit wins."

"Maybe we can talk this over a nice cup of-" said Sandy with a smile before Mei cut him off.

"Zuzu! You can teleport us, right? Take us somewhere I can teach this jerk a lesson." Said Mei in a serious and menacing tone with glowing green eyes.

"He doesn't take orders from you." Replied Taro narrowing his glowing pink eyes. "But yes. Zuzu, take us outside the city."

Everyone other than the two swordsmen turned to Zuzu with nervous expressions. The monkey sweat dropped before shrugging and drawing a magical circle that teleported everyone to the desert outside the city.

In the middle of this desert, the two swordsmen stood face to face ready to duel. Zuzu, knowing that he couldn't interfere, summoned multiple bags of popcorn and offered some to MK and his friends. "Oh, thanks." Said MK instinctively as he took the popcorn. "Wait- what are you doing?! We should be stopping them, not watch while eating popcorn!"

"They just need to let off some steam. They'll be fine... probably." Replied Zuzu with a shrug as he began eating his popcorn, Zi and Zao begrudgingly joining him.

"What does...uhhh. I know I'm the Monkie Kid, but I don't understand monkey. What did you say?" Asked MK in confusion before Pigsy stared at the bronze furred blue skinned monkey with a raised brow.

"I think he's trying to say "let it happen"." He said with a frown before Zuzu nodded. Everyone turned to Mei and Taro as they stood ready for combat with their swords in hand. And without another word, Mei started the fight dashing towards the peach boy for an attack.

Taro stepped to the side, dodging Mei's attack with ease before slashing an arc of energy towards Mei. The horse dragon girl barely jumped out of the way before she manifested a giant green dragon made of energy and fired a blast of energy towards the peach boy. Without hesitation, Taro twirled his sword before slicing the air multiple time to unleash multiple arcs of energy towards Mei. The two attacks clashes. Green and Pink energies decorating the sky before Mei landed on the ground with a bead of sweat rolling on her cheek before she had to dodge another arc of energy.

"You can't beat me." Declared Taro calmly as his eyes glowed pink.

"We'll see about that." Replied Mei with a determined expression before she dashed towards Taro with her sword ready for a slash. Taro blocked and the two swords clashed. As the two were locked in place, vines and roots sprouted out of the earth and wrapped around Mei's legs before Taro jumped back and raised his sword. The dragon tried to move before noticing that her legs were stuck. She turned back to Taro and held her sword tightly as the peach boy released arc of energy before she sliced the air and released an arc of her own. The two arcs clashed before cancelling each other out.

"Did you just copy my move?" Taro asked in shock only for Mei to don a smug expression. The peach boy ignored the dragon girl's taunt before dashing in a low position and slashing upwards trying to knock Mei's sword out of her hands as she blocked. The attack worked momentarily as Mei's sword flew out of her hands and into the air. Worry appeared on Mei's face before Taro spoke. "Why are you trying so hard to beat me? What are you even trying to prove?"

Taro's words knocked the determination back into Mei's eyes. The dragon girl jumped above the attack and into where she could take hold of her sword once more. "You wanna know what I'm trying to prove?" She asked as she manifested a giant dragon and aimed it at Taro. "I'm trying to show you how much you've hurt everyone by leaving them, not once but TWICE!" Mei unleashed a powerful beam of green energy at the peach boy, but Taro felt something different about this attack. The beam stopped midair before exploding into dozens of smaller beams. "MK felt and everyone back at the wood temple hotel abandoned by you! Felt as if they meant nothing to you! Not worth telling your problems to! Not to mention how worried they were about you!"

"T-that's not true! I didn't abandon them and I can take care of myself!" Exclaimed Taro as he jumped around, trying his best to dodge all of Mei's blasts before raising his sword in the air. "I just-...I had problems, okay?! And I didn't want to involve them!" The peach boy unleashed a powerful

"Friends and family help each other! Any one of us and anyone back at the hotel would've done everything they could to help you had you just given them the chance!" Exclaimed Mei angrily with glowing green eyes as she unleashed a powerful beam of energy towards Taro. "HAD YOU JUST SAID ANYTHING! BUT YOU DIDN'T EVEN BOTHER TO TRY!" Taro felt as if he was hit with a wave of cold water. Mei's words shook him to the core. His body shook as a certain hallucination's whispers penetrated his ears before his attack and Mei's attack clashed leading to a flash of blinding light. When the light faded, the scene of Taro and Mei standing face to face as one Mei's pigtails was on the ground as well as a burnt peach. "I lost."

Taro frowned as he stared at the lonely burnt peach on the desert sand. "No. It's a draw." He declared before turning to MK. "I guess it's time to tell you everything." Everyone stood in front of the peach boy as he took a deep breath. With bated breath they all waited to hear what Taro wanted to hide so much. "MK, everyone...I'm a tree."

"Uhhh, what?" Asked MK in a goofy tone in confusion as everyone aside from the three Z's shared the same confusion. "Is that like a code for something or...?"

"Let me reiterate. I am a tree, the plant. Y'know? With the leaves, the wood, the fruit etc?" Replied Taro calmly, only making things worse. "Okay, you know how my head always smells like it's made of peaches? That's because it is." He said plucking a lock of his hair from under his cap only for it to transform into a peach. "See?"

Everyone was awed by the scene before Mei gasped as she remembered the oddly placed burnt peach. "The peach! I burnt your hair! I didn't lose!" She said cheerfully with a smile before realizing something. "Wait- do your folk at the hotel know about this?"

Taro chuckled. "Mei, they're also tree." He said and everything screamed in confusion. "Have you never questioned their names? Pine, Apricot, Bamboo, Maple?"

"So you're all trees?" Asked Pigsy in shock.

"So do you guys like, photosynthesize?" Asked Sandy in awe.

"And more importantly, WHY DID YOU TRY TO HIDE IT SO MUCH?!" Added MK in frustration.

"I'm getting there. I'm not gonna say anything about what happened with the Monkey King yet though. He should be here to say his side of the story too. But! I will talk about why I didn't come back." Taro said calmly with dejected frown. "Now, to start let's go back to 500 years ago in the celestial realm."

xxxxxXxxxxx

Extra:

Taro and MK sitting inside of Pigsy's. MK reaches for Taro's hair.

"MK, no."

"I just wanna taste one!"

"MK! You'll get immortality and more powers!"

"That just makes me want it more!"

Fight ensues.

xxxxxxXxxxxx

Hooray! Taro got his hat back! And learned a lesson or whatever. The hat is more important.

Also, I'm thinking of starting to call Taro by his chinese name, Taoru instead of Taro. Tell me what you guys think.

Toodles.