YES! IT IS I!
You know the drill, read, review, moo, yodelayheehoo.
Huge thanks to MentalForge, QAI521, bookie and TrajectoryAgreement for betaing this chapter!
Thick clouds in vast formation moved o'er the world;
Black fog and dusky vapor darkened the Earth;
Waves churned in seas and rivers, affrighting fishes and crabs;
Boughs broke in mountain forests, wolves and tigers taking flight.
Traders and merchants were gone from stores and shops.
No single man was seen at sundry marts and malls.
The king retreated to his chamber from the royal court.
Officials, martial and civil, returned to their homes.
This wind toppled Buddha's throne of a thousand years
And shook to its foundations the Five-Phoenix Tower.
-Journey to the West, chapter 3
Sun Wukong twisted and turned on the thick mattress as he played with the thin blanket his host had given him. It was a very soft mattress, which he learned was standard in this land. It couldn't compare in the slightest to lying upon spring clouds or the golden silks of the Palace of the Polestar, but much better than woven mats. He looked at the cracked ceiling, with its splotches of dirt and the empty lightbulb hanging in the middle. A simple mechanism, turning lights on and off with a switch and no magic. After fifty or so times though, the novelty wore off.
'This room could easily belong in a noble's mansion with a small clean-up. A new coat of paint wouldn't hurt as well. For all this ingenuity, these mortals love their drab buildings, glass spires notwithstanding. Even farmers colored their walls." He sighed and let out a chuckle. 'Look at me, mulling over details of a ceiling in bed like a sick man who fears slumber. I don't even need sleep!'
While that much was true - Wukong could abstain from sleep for three whole years - he still liked to sleep, or at least lay down and laze around. A habit from his peaceful days as ruler of Flower-Fruit Mountain that he had no intention of breaking.
'If only I could drift off with nary a care, but alas, more troubling matters have seized my attention.'
The Jade Emperor does not exist.
The gods do not exist.
The Great Sage sat up and ensconced himself in the blanket, draping it over his head and shoulders like a cassock. Those words, spoken as such a basic and obvious truth, jarred him greatly, and despite covering up his shock quickly from his host, Peizhi's claim did not recede from his mind in the slightest.
'The sheer absurdity of that statement…how is it possible?' Wukong thought, restraining himself from scratching the frail blanket. 'Every mortal knows of the gods and their power. They are part of the world and the order of creation, even if they deem themselves above it. Even the most remote villages and hamlets had local gods assigned to them, along with their own superstitions. The records of divine deeds are intensive and their remnants upon the earth are visible to all mortals. To say nothing of the feats and powers of the Buddhists. Heh, for all their claims of detachment from earthly affairs, they will revel in any praise from mortals, the lavisher the better.'
He stroked his chin and looked out the window, where a streetlight's faint halo bloomed in the darkness.
'Is it because this is a distant land with strange people, across a great ocean, that Peizhi-xiānshēng says his words with such surety? Yet distance matters little to the divine and enlightened. Why, the sons of Ao Guang swim and leap throughout the four cardinal seas and do not hesitate to puff and flaunt their ridiculous plumage to all mortals and spirits who see them.'
Steepling his clawed hands, a scratchy hum emanated from his lips.
'No, it is not that he claimed no knowledge of the gods, else how would he speak of the Jade Emperor? He claimed that they do not exist. As if they were a made-up fable.'
He fell and rolled in his mattress again. 'Bah, there are too many words missing from this riddle!'
He kept ruminating on this new knowledge, trying to find reasoning to counter it. Unfortunately, nothing came to him. Eventually, a soft knock drew him from his thoughts.
"Uh, Wukong? Are you awake?"
He shook his head and slowly stood, the blanket falling off him and landing beside him soundlessly. Looking to the window, he spotted the faint strokes of dawn dyeing the night sky. Was he so deep in thought? Using his tail, he opened the door to see his host standing there, his hands clasped together and a weak smile on his face.
Wukong gave a much wider smile and bowed. "Fair morning to you, Peizhi-xiānsheng. I thank you once more for your hospitality."
"Ah, good morning to you too. D-did I wake you?"
"No no, I was meditating on yesterday's events before you knocked. I enjoyed the mattress, very bouncy."
Peizhi's eyes flickered to the object in question. "I'm glad to hear that," he replied, his voice measured and tinged with confusion, though Wukong knew not why. "I have some tea and breakfast ready if you want to eat."
"Splendid! Lead the way!"
His host turned and Wukong followed him, immediately smelling the strong scents of tea and rice. When they came to the kitchen, a teapot and two bowls of rice porridge were laid out on the table, as were two empty cups.
"I don't have any stew today, so I hope you'll enjoy this," Peizhi said, gesturing to the table.
Wukong pulled back a chair, sat before a bowl, and inhaled. The aroma filled his lungs and his smile grew. "This smells magnificent! You are quite the accomplished cook!"
Peizhi blinked before slowly rubbing his head and ducking away. "It's nothing special. I eat it a lot in the mornings, helps me start the day."
The man sat before the other bowl and poured tea for them both. A quick bow later, Wukong happily slurped down his bowl.
"Ah, how long has it been since I've had a good bowl of porridge?" he asked, setting down the now-empty bowl. "You have a talent for cooking, Peizhi-xiānshēng. Take pride in it, for it is worthy of boasting. May I have another?"
His host's cheeks grew flushed, but the twitching lips he hid were plain as day to Wukong, even as he poured another serving into the Monkey King's bowl. The two resumed eating, though this time Wukong slowed his pace and savored the simple dish. The tea was the same blend as yesterday's and tasted just as good.
Wukong shifted in his place and the chair squeaked. Yet another odd detail. "Are chairs commonplace in this land? I've seen no mats for sitting or sleeping. The beds are also raised, why is that?"
Peizhi swallowed his food and hummed, his visage morphing into one of uncertainty. "That's just how it's done here and in most of the world. It's much more comfortable than a mat."
He looked at both chairs and rocked his own before grinning. "Quite right! No lumps or dirt landing in your clothes!" Peizhi idly nodded and returned to his meal, shifting his gaze between his bowl and Wukong. All the while, the Monkey King took another sip of tea, the brew flowing down his throat and soothing his mind.
'Hm, a simple meal and tea like this to start the day…what fond memories. The sand monk's brewing skills were superb among our little group.'
His smile dimmed momentarily as the issue that had plagued his slumber rose to his mind's forefront once more, nearly undoing the tea's work. 'Bah, can I not even enjoy a meal without falling into this spiralling pit!?'
He put down the cup and stopped his host from rising. "A most delightful meal Peizhi-xiānsheng, thank you. I'll go for a stroll around this quaint district of yours, so I shan't trouble you further this morning."
He moved to rise from the chair only to catch the color leaving his host's face. Odd, he hadn't done anything (thus far) to warrant such a reaction.
"Have I offended you?"
Peizhi quickly shook his head. "N-no, it's not like that! It's just, erm…" he gestured at the Monkey King, weaving his hands like he was trying to grab some object. "You are very, how to say, distinct. I'm worried that people will remember you and follow you back here," he winced as he finished the sentence.
"Ah, but I have placed this shop under my protection, don't you recall? No harm will come to it or you, regardless of my actions."
The man hesitantly glanced in the direction of the window. "Yes…but I'm not always here."
'Oh? Was that all?'
Wukong chuckled and gently waved at his host. "Your concern is understandable, Peizhi-xiānshēng, but you may put your mind at ease. If I do catch the attention of the masses, I will do my utmost to ensure I shan't be followed."
His host stammered wordlessly at his proclamation - no doubt enthralled by his generosity - before sighing and drooling his head down, giving him the slightest of nods. "...if you say so."
Wukong flashed him another toothy grin, and opened the window, letting the morning breeze caress his fur. He hopped out the window and landed outside of the circle. After he dusted off his blue robe, he turned around and saw Peizhi stick his head out the window with a worried countenance.
He gave the merchant a quick bow and somersaulted into the air, traveling barely more than a second before landing on a rooftop. Quickly hopping past a few more, he landed on a flat roof topped with white canisters and blocky decorations. Were they also a type of machinery, designed to aid whoever lived in this house?
He gazed at the field of gray stone and black tiles, casting their shadows across the streets as the Sun sent forth its first rays from the sea. Creaks and mutters began to trickle from the houses, its residents no doubt starting their day. Wukong took a deep breath and let the smell of the sea from afar and the wafting aromas of food from nearby fill his being.
'Not all that dissimilar from back home. Peasants and lords waking up for work, each all set about their course in life.' His nose wrinkled as a grumble escaped him. 'Ēmítuófó, this city's pungency is a fixture, is it? No, I shall have to get used to it, at least until I find a solution.'
Wukong sat down on the roof's ledge and idly kicked the air. Humming to himself, he looked up at the sky and felt his grin shrink until only the corners of his mouth supported it. Despite Peizhi's hearty meal, the topic from earlier still rattled around in his stone head.
"The bridge is too broken to cross this river," he softly said to himself. "Why is fact fable here?"
He looked to the sky and narrowed his eyes. He saw the past the sea of clouds and through the veil of fog, permeated with dirt and muck. The heavens morphed into inky blackness and the curtain of endless stars were displayed before him. Floating objects flew past his eye, dotted with flickering lights. He almost blinked and felt his tongue dart out of his mouth.
'These are no Celestial creations. Have the mortals wrought machines that reached the very heavens?'
He tried to focus on one such device, but a loud whirring from behind him broke his concentration. His sight pulled back from the sky and saw behind him a metal fan spinning inside one of the stone decorations. The air blowing from the fan blew past his nose and he grimaced.
'Gah, is this why the air is so foul?' He stepped closer and raised his hand, intending to rip the offending contraption out of the stone when he saw that it wasn't the only one; there were at least a few of them on every roof!
'What purpose could these possibly serve? Don't these mortals know that clean air provides a clean mind and body? What could be worth mucking up the air like this?'
Wukong snorted and surveyed his surroundings again. 'Is there a place worthy of meditation here? I do not wish to disturb Peizhi-xiānsheng so soon after leaving…' he trailed off as he kept looking until he spotted a flash of green tucked a few buildings away. His smile returned and he hopped across rooftops until he reached his goal: a small spot of grass, criss-crossed with stone pathways, standing starkly in contrast to the grey buildings around it. Benches and tables lined its edges, and at least half of the whole area was within the shade of a -
'A willow tree,' the Monkey King shook his head, his simple still present. 'Oh, how delightful.'
He moved next to the tree and rubbed one hand on its bark, the other gently picking up a golden leaf and caressing it between his fingers.
'Ah, if Lady Guanyin were to appear, she would weep in sorrow. No tree should be so enclosed by grime and rock,' he brought the leaf to his nose and sniffed it. 'Yet I smell care and resilience in this one. To grow and flourish in such conditions speaks well of its tenacity and the good nature of its gardener.'
He sat down at the base of the willow and settled into the lotus position. Taking a deep breath, he held the leaf in two hands and looked to the skies once more.
'If mortalkind has indeed breached the skies with these machines…why hasn't Heaven intervened? They are a jealous lot, I know better than most. Mortals remain below, and the gods and Buddhas remain above. An enlightened mortal or two, they would accept, but not this.' As he kept staring past the clouds and into the sea of stars, he spotted more of the objects flying past his eyes at breakneck speeds. 'There are quite a number of them…how long have these mortals been building them? And what are they doing up there, drifting above the world?'
He shifted his gaze from the sky to the south, humming as a gentle wind rustled the willow's branches. In a flash of gold that lasted a heartbeat, he spied the broken silhouettes peeking above the buildings, morphing and shimmering against the golden sky.
'These apparitions - and the so-called 'heroes' - are another enigma,' he thought. 'Peizhi-xiānshēng spoke of them as commonplace. I have yet to ask him if that is simply the case for this city or this whole kingdom of Meiguo, but even if not, they are far from subtle. One would think that the Celestial Armies would have stricken them down by now, and I've no doubt they most certainly would.
Then why haven't they?'
The Sun had begun its climb in the azure seas above. A few leaves danced as they fell from the willow's branches on the autumn wind.
'I could simply ask the local Tǔdì about the situation; they were always a helpful sort. Only I struggle to conceive of any Tudi who would live in this swamp of foul qi. Or…'
As Wukong thought of Heaven and its Hosts, his mood grew sour and his grip on the leaf tightened. He hadn't been averse to the strange murkiness within him whenever he thought of Heaven. He had suffered their distaste for him thoroughly and despite the friendships he had forged during his time there, he wasn't blind to their faults - not in the slightest. One would think his great journey would've put old grievances behind, but…
'There was a matter…and an argument. I remember the trees and rivers of my home, my children welcoming me with adoration. Then…'
Words.
Thunder.
Blades.
Screams.
Silence.
He held back a wince. The rest was naught but darkness and stone, until he awoke under moonlight next to a humble shop. 'Yet another riddle. Since I arrived in this city, I remember only those sensations. What happened to me, to have ferried me so far from my mountain?'
He felt himself sink deeper and deeper into his consciousness, trying to unveil the fog, when he felt a tap on his foot. Wukong's eyes shot open and a few paces away, wearing a blue shirt with white letters, was a little boy, barely a few winters old.
The child looked at him, his expression and countenance frozen in shock. Wukong looked down and saw an orange ball next to his knee. Looking back up, he took the ball and held it aloft.
"Hello there child. Is this your ball?"
The boy looked back and forth between him and the ball and slowly nodded.
"Do you want it back?" he asked. The poor child looked a moment away from running to the hills. Wukong gently rolled the ball to the child, watching him gingerly pick it up while never looking away.
Inwardly, the Monkey King shook his head. He may be a lot of things, but he would never make a child cry. Carefully raising his hand, he plucked a hair from his head. At the child's confused look, he blew on it and in a puff of smoke, the hair had transformed into a wooden rattle-drum.
The boy gaped at his magic and Wukong giggled loudly. He shook the rattle-drum before holding it out for the boy. The boy bit his lip, gripping the ball tightly, then tentatively began to approach Wukong. As he slowly stepped toward him, Wukong did his best not to move. Finally, once the boy was within arm's reach, Wukong placed the toy in the child's outstretched little palm. The boy quickly stepped back, still eyeing Wukong suspiciously, before he looked at the rattle-drum and gave it a shake. The two tethered balls struck the leather drum and thudded. He gave it a few more shakes and the toy rattled again.
"What is your name, child?" asked Wukong in the native tongue.
The boy froze for a moment before biting his lip. "Thao," he replied.
"Thao," Wukong repeated, rolling the name in his mouth. "That's a strong name."
The boy - Thao - stared at Wukong, drifting up and down his body. "Are you really a monkey?"
Wukong puffed up. "Why, of course I am a monkey!" He grabbed his tail and waved it in front of his face. "I wouldn't have this tail if I wasn't a monkey, would I?"
Thao looked at the tail in astonishment, his little eyes following its sway. "What kind of monkey are you? Mom got me a book with monkeys. There was one with a big red butt, another with a funny face, but I don't remember a talking monkey."
Wukong dropped his tail and grabbed another leaf, which he then twirled between his fingers. "I am a magic monkey!" He blew on the leaf and it turned into a small paintbrush.
"Cool! How did you do that?"
"Magic!" he exclaimed, handing over the brush. Thao took the brush from his hand and examined it.
"What brings you to this fine garden, Thao? Playing with your ball?"
"Y-yeah," Thao nodded. "Mom's over there sleeping and she said I could play if I stayed in the park. I kicked the ball away and it hit you…" he looked down sheepishly. "I'm sorry."
He waved him off. "'Tis fine, Thao." He gestured to the ball. "What game were you playing?"
"Um, I was just kicking it. My friends couldn't come over to play." He frowned. "Sister doesn't like playing with a ball."
"Hmm, most women don't like men's games," Wukong rubbed his chin then snapped his fingers, eyes comically wide. "That's it! I could play with you!"
"Really?" Thao asked, his eyes glimmering with hope.
"Of course! I haven't played a game in ages! I used to play all the time with my friends," Wukong rose and dusted his robes. "How do we play?"
The little boy smiled and was about to reply when he stopped and looked at his new toys. Seeing his expression, Wukong giggled.
"You can put your gifts right on the ground, little one. No one will steal them from you."
"Uh, okay!" he placed the rattle and brush next to him and moved the ball to his feet. "I kick the ball and you kick too. If I miss, I lose, if you miss, you lose."
"Then let us begin!" the Monkey King cried, bouncing on his toes.
Thao drew back, his pudgy little face scrunched up, and kicked the ball at Wukong. Said simian eyed the ball as it rolled toward him and batted it back with his tail.
Thao's eyes widened at the action even as the ball rolled back to him. "Cool!"
"I am very warm, but thank you for your concern. Do you need a coat?"
"Uh, no," Thao replied, looking at him strangely. "You're cool means you're…" he thought hard and squinted. "Awesome! You're awesome!"
Now that was a word Wukong understood. "Why thank you, little Thao."
Thao keeps staring at him, though he spots the boy flickering to his tail. "Are you a superhero? Like the ones here?"
Wukong tilted his head. "A super-hero? Funny title. I have been called something similar…" At Thao's continued staring, he flashed him a grin. "Let's make a little bet. If you win, I'll tell you if I'm a hero."
Thao nodded determinedly. "Okay! I'm gonna win, you'll see!"
"Hah! That's the spirit!"
Thus the two, a monkey and a boy, began playing their little game. Back and forth went the ball, with Thao kicking it and Wukong using his tail, hopping from side to side on one foot. While the boy was engrossed in the game, a smile of his own plastered between his plump cheeks, Wukong noted that some adults were watching them, through windows and doors. No one approached them - in fact, the few who passed nearby seemed skittish, but he spotted a couple taking out their…phones…and holding them high. 'How odd,' he thought. 'Peizhi-xiānsheng said they were used for communicating with each other and yesterday I saw people holding them next to their ears. To what purpose are they doing this?'
He mentally shrugged. 'I will ask him later. For now, I think the little one deserves a prize.'
As Thao kicked the ball at him with a yell, Wukong lowered his tail just enough for the ball to fly past him and bounce off the tree. The child stared for a moment before a triumphant grin spread across his face.
"Oh, woe is me!" Wukong exclaimed, gasping and pressing a hand to his chest. "I have been beaten by the mighty warrior! I thought I stood a chance, alas, these old bones have grown weak!"
He twirled his hand and gave a deep bow. "You have won this game fair and square, Thao. Let it not be said I am not a monkey of my word."
Straightening himself, he smiled at Thao's pumping fists, even as he waited eagerly. "You wished to know if I was a hero?" To his rapid nodding, he responded. "My travels have taken me far and wide across many lands and oceans. I have slain hundreds of yaoguai and evildoers and saved both peasants and princes. I have been called a hero, but I am much more than that!"
He raised his arm and inhaled, with the child watching in rapt fascination. "I am -"
"MEI!"
Wukong and Thao immediately turned in the shout's direction. At the edge of the park was a woman held back by two masked men. A third man stood next to them with his arms on his hips while a fourth man was holding the arm of a girl and dragging her to a large black car.
"That's my sister!" Thao cried out, his voice growing distressed. He looked around frantically before he returned to Wukong. "You've gotta save her!"
Wukong walked over and gently gripped the boy's shoulder. "Do not worry Thao, I was just about to do that. Stay back and I promise your sister will be fine."
With those words, he dashed across the park and leapt into the air. Twirling mid-jump, he brought his foot down on the third man's head and landed on his body. At once everyone turned to him. The thug under him groaned and Wukong kicked his back, silencing him.
"Good morning, gentlemen," Wukong said, his scratchy voice bright and jovial. "I would ask how are you doing on this fine day, but seeing as how you are so desperate for companionship you resort to grabbing women off the streets, I'd say you are sorely depressed."
The thugs tensed, their uncertainty plain even through their demon masks. The mother stared at him in shock and desperation, streaks running down her eyes.
"I, for one, would never shame a man for desiring company," he continued and gestured to the captive family, "so why don't you let these fair ladies go and I'll gladly help you court the women of your dreams."
The thug holding the little girl broke the group's silence.
"You think you scare us, cape?" he said, his grip on the girl tightening and causing her to whimper. "You touch us, you're dead meat. This bitch here," he gestured to the mother with his head, "didn't pay up, so her daughter's gonna serve the ABB. The dragon demands his tribute, and no one is exempted."
The mother let out a choked sob and Wukong hummed. "The dragon? Oh, do tell. It's been a while since I've seen the great long of the east."
One of the thugs drew a sharp breath. "He knows Lung?" one of them whispered. "Shit, maybe-"
"Shut up!" the apparent leader yelled before turning to Wukong. "Here's my offer. You walk away and Lung won't hang your burned corpse in the middle of these streets."
"Tempting, I do enjoy my fur in one piece," the Monkey King drawled and stroked his furry chin. "But seeing as how I made a promise to my little playmate," he lowered his hand and his smile morphed into a grin, baring his fangs for all to see.
"I'm afraid I'll have to decline."
In a burst of speed, Wukong appeared next to the mother and the two thugs. Reaching out, he gripped the arms holding the woman and wrenched them away, eliciting from them screams of pain. He pulled them back, letting the mother stumble free. In two swift motions, he let them go and grabbed their heads. Not even looking down, he banged them together, cracking their masks.
"Hmm, did I hear a hollow note?" he asked as he dropped the now-unconscious thugs. "Must explain their lack of tact."
"Mei!"
The mother's pained voice rang out again and he saw the last thug pressing at the girl's throat. The mother raised her hands and spoke to her daughter in a calm yet shaky voice. "It's okay sweetie, Mommy's here -"
"SHUT THE FUCK UP, BITCH!" yelled the leader and pressed his knife closer. He turned to Wukong and snarled. "Take one more step and I'll cut open her throat!"
Mei whimpered and her eyes brimmed with tears ready to be released. The mother cried out her daughter's name again and the thug slowly took a step back, into the open car. As for Wukong?
"Your self-esteem is worse than I thought. A man whose only strength is threatening little girls would certainly not be husband material."
The thug froze and Wukong was sure that his brow twitched. Wukong kept grinning and slowly stepped forward.
"Come now, do you not wish to prove my words wrong? To show that your chosen dharma will bring you glory?" His voice lowered an octave, resembling a growl. The thug tensed and the blade pressed deeper, on the verge of cutting the girl's fair skin. "Or have you realized that it is hollow and false…as the space inside your skull."
The Monkey King spun around and his tail whacked the knife away. The thug cursed and loosened his guard, prompting Wukong to spin again and this time, his tail wrapped around the girl's waist and pulled her away, sending her into her mother's arms. The thug sharply turned to him and reached into his jacket, but Wukong pulled out his staff from his ear and threw it at the thug. The hair-sized weapon expanded into its usual height and struck the thug head-on, sending him tumbling into the car. The machine then rumbled and Wukong spotted a face in the window. Not wasting any time, he dashed to the curb, picked up his staff, and made it shoot through the car's inside and out its door, ripping a hole. Gripping the staff with two hands, he lifted it and with it, the vehicle and its two passengers, right before he slammed them back down to the earth. The street cracked beneath the force of the blow and metal flew out of the car to the side. Not stopping for a moment, Wukong retracted his staff and walked to the broken vehicle. He ripped open the front door and tossed the driver out, sending him tumbling.
He then went to the big door and picked up the leader - who was thoroughly battered and bruised - by the hem of his jacket.
"Too bad," he mock-lamented. "Had you accepted my offer, your karma might have turned."
He turned to look at the streets, where people began walking out of the nearby buildings, looking stupefied and mortified in equal measure. Whispers and mutterings began to fill the air as more people took out their phones and held them high. As he looked, he spotted a metal cylinder with an open top a few steps away. Upon reading the words on its side, he perked up and hummed.
"You need time to reflect on your actions, and I know just where to put you," he said to the leader, who was unable to respond with anything more than slurring. He walked up to the cylinder, lifted the man high and dunked him headfirst into it.
He took a step back to admire his work and dusted his hands. "Much better! At least these mortals attempt to clean up after themselves."
With that done, he turned to the family, who were now whole and hugging each other for dear life. He approached them as he twirled his staff and they quickly took notice.
"You were so cool!" exclaimed Thao, running up to him and bouncing in place. "You just jumped and BAM! And then you went WHOOSH! And then you did it like in Street Fighter and -"
Wukong laughed heartily and patted the boy on the head. "I am pleased to know you admired my actions. It was the least I could do for providing me with such an entertaining game!"
Thao kept running around him and proclaiming his admiration. Wukong kept smiling, then he turned to the two ladies he had rescued. He approached them with measured steps, startling the two from their embrace. The mother looked at him with teary eyes and he saw her tense, strengthening the hold on her daughter.
"Thank you," she whispered. "Thank you so much. It was just one payment. They were going to take my little girl away to those -"
"It was no trouble; I could hardly stand back and watch such tragedy happen," he replied, waving his hand in reassurance. He then looked at the little girl and got down on one knee. "You must be Mei. Are you alright?" he asked gently.
Mei nodded and sniffed. Looking closer, she appeared older than Thao, with a green-white shirt and two small pigtails in her hair. He slowly reached for her face and paused when he saw the mother tense. She then nodded, and he carefully rubbed her neck, where the thug's knife was placed.
"She is unharmed, do not worry," he said to the mother. He looked at Mei again and traced her cheek with his knuckle. "You are a strong one, Mei. You did not shed tears before that villain. Take pride in your strength and the love of your family."
She nodded and whispered thanks to him. Thao came from behind him and latched onto his sister in a tight embrace, which she quickly returned just as strongly.
He stepped back and slammed his staff on the ground, drawing the attention of everyone on the street. "Hear me now!" he proclaimed with a mighty voice, looking around him. "Any who lay their hands upon children in this land will suffer the same consequences as these ruffians!" He gestured to the broken car and strewn bodies. "They claim to be led by a dragon, and to this I say: I do not fear him! I have faced his ilk before and will gladly do so again! If he wishes to fight, then he need only ask, and Old Sun will gladly show him his place!"
He returned his gaze to the family, who stared at him with slack jaws and wide eyes filled with tears and hope. "You asked me if I was a hero, Thao? Then ease your fears, for I am Sun Wukong! Yaoguai flee before me and the heavens tremble at my might! As long as I am here, none of you shall face such tragedy again."
Silence reigned and Wukong took in their stares and whispers. A fire burning in his chest, he nodded to himself internally.
'Heaven will surely take notice of my actions in due time. If they wish to reprimand me, then they shall come down here themselves! I need not pander to their whims, not anymore. And when they do, I will demand answers from them as to the state of this land!'
With that mental decision, he smiled at the family and held out his hand. "With all that unpleasantness out of the way, do you know where I could find some nachos?"
Elsewhere, in a kitschy store, a shopkeeper was doing his best impression of a strangled chicken as he slumped on his counter and stared at the headline on his phone.
LIVE: NEW CAPE IN BROCKTON BAY! ABB KIDNAPPING FOILED AND HUMILIATED! PRT EN ROUTE!
Ta-da! Here I am! Brand new chapter! I loved the last one's reception!
Not much to talk about here, Wukong thinking about this new world and playing with some kids. Hope you don't mind, because I love these little moments. There will be more. Also, who here can spot the reference to one of the most recent JTTW adaptations?
If you want to help fund my writing, hop over to my at pat . reon / user?u=47732921 and donate! Members will get previews and chapters ahead of time! For example, Chapter 7 is already out on that site! Also, if you don't wish to subscribe monthly, feel free to leave a small tip on my new ko-fi page at: ko-fi /darkscythedrake. I also make 3D art there, hopefully one day of my fics.
Huge thanks to all my patrons who are helping me fund my writing!
I have my own server Drake's Lair, at (discord . gg/2bD4UgyyPA). I do streams there on Saturday nights, CET time! Sometimes games, other times anime, whatever's fun! I'm also a member of the Shiro's Gaming Omniverse Discord (discord . gg/wd3tUYWVCd.) server and the Emerald Library (discord . gg/elibrary). If you want to hop over and chat, either about this story or anything else, feel free!
If you enjoyed this story, check out my other ones and look at my profile for challenges!
Most importantly...
Read and Review! REVIEW!