As You Are [Monkey King]

𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒓 8: Cold-Shoulder

Okay, so NOW we're back to the actual ending of the Monkie Kid😌 I just had to fit it in here somewhere you know.

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One lazy Sunday afternoon on the peak of the mountain near Megapolis was filled with casual small talks and the smell of boiling soup. The scene wasn't at all normal considering all people involved in the little retreat, and one last visitor just happens to arrive on a monowheel fire ring vehicle from the skies beyond.

"I apologize for being late," Nezha parks on the spacious surface and walks over to the group. "I imagined it to be more grand considering the unexpected invite in between my busy affairs up in heavens."

"Well, sorry to disappoint you with our poor a^^ attempt at a celebration, your highness," Macaque walks towards Xiu with two bowls in hand, sending a smirk towards the lotus prince.

"And here I thought you've been obliterated along with the wretched bone demon," he sneers back.

"Fate pulls an odd string for me. Best not to try and think too hard on it... Here you go, Xiu," he places one bowl on the woman's hand, making her flinch at the contact of its hot surface. She was too busy eyeing Monkey King and MK who's seated by the cliff to care about anything else, not even the aroma of Pigsy's good cooking can calm whatever is on her mind.

"I'm glad to see you faring well, demon huntress." It was the first that Nezha had talked to her casually, and it unexpectedly caught Xiu's attention. Even if it was temporary. "Frankly, I wouldn't have expected you to live through, considering you're soul had been handed to the Netherworld. It's quite strange."

Macaque frowns, holding the chopsticks inches from his mouth.

"Yeah... It's weird. It felt like everything was just a dream," Xiu looked at her reflection on the rippling soup, "I wake up and I couldn't remember anything, then the next I regain them again like déjà vu. Most of these days... it feels like I lack something. Like there's something wrong with everything around me."

"You're probably just shocked about it," Mei chirps from the other log beside Redson. "I'd be shocked too if I end up not remembering any of you guys."

"The most important thing is," Pigsy says, "that you're still here. And you lived past that."

"And your curse had been removed now, so that's something to be feeling good about," Sandy nods.

Mo jumps on her lap and nudges his head on her free hand, earning him a grateful scratch under his chin. Xiu smiles at probably more than a few times that she heard of this before, she knew she eventually had to have her bearings so that they wouldn't worry anymore. This whole death and alive situation had been going on for long enough that it'd look like she's taking advantage of their kindness.

"Yeah. I am pretty happy about it. Especially since I'll finally get to live a full life with all of you, the people I care about the most. Happy ending at its finest, am I right?!" Xiu brings the bowl up to her lips, taking it all in with a few big gulps. She raises her bowl up with the widest grin on her face, "Another serving, boss!"

The pig demon chuckles, "Slow it down, Xiu."

The black furred simian stared at Nezha as Tang finally got out of his shaking excitement to ask the celestial being of all the info he can suck out of him. He stands up, his head turning to Wukong and MK before deciding to head over to them.

Xiu insisted on bringing out her cheery mood that the idea of her golden furred simian barely giving her any attention doesn't pull her down as much anymore. The once casual small talks turned into a story time as the woman started filling them with another dumb memory from her previous lives.

The laughter eventually got the duo's attention, and MK was the first to come over to get another bowl of noodles and to listen in on the conversation.

"I have a friend who I've known since I was very little, back when I lived as a jeweler's daughter. One day, when he was six, I was at his house when he got this absolutely god-awful stomach pain. I mean, he was literally writhing in pain. So, his mother took him to the doctor, where the doctor took one look and told her to take him to the other room where he does all these surgeries. She feared something along the lines of an intestinal rupture. About half way to the door, my friend suddenly let rip the loudest, most powerful fart any of us had ever heard. I swear to God he levitated! We thought he shot a whole through his pants. After a good 30 seconds of intense farting, he looked at his mom and said, 'I feel all better now!'."

Redson cackled whereas all the other let out an amused chuckle, imagining the scene in their own versions.

"Funny, wasn't he? I was supposed to marry that guy before my memories surface at that time," Xiu shook her head with a solemn smile, "I was glad he didn't resent me for leaving so suddenly."

"Pft. You, settling yourself with that kind of pathetic peasant? You're setting your standards far too low, uncle."

She gave Redson a raised brow, "Well, you'd know nothing of it since you yourself aren't in any kind of relationship."

He was about to pull out an argument, but stops himself. He really was not in the position for that, but he could definitely say one thing about it, "Relationship is only for the weak who seek for a capable individual who will protect them. I am in no desire for such things as I, Redson, am the powerful spawn of the Demon Bull King! I don't need this so-called relationship."

"You'll never know," she shrugs, "You might need someone too at the end of the day. Kinda like how I ended up with Mr. Moody over there." Xiu turns her head to the side to look at the simian, only to see him already standing behind her. The air was cut from her lungs as she met his hollowed gaze. Was she just imagining it?

Wukong went to Pigsy and handed the empty bowl that once actually belonged to MK. He stretched his arms up with a tired groan, "I'm beat. Sorry, folks, I think I'm going to head back now. Hey, Pigsy, can I have two takeouts of that?"

"W-Why? The sun hasn't even come down yet," says MK.

"Wukong," Xiu stood up, approaching him from behind, "Are you... free, sometime, maybe? It doesn't have to be soon, but there's a place I wanna go with you and... well, I just thought it'd be fun. You know, hang out like we used to? Just the two of us?" Her voice lowered as she felt nervous of her own will to speak. It's like an invisible aura was keeping her barricaded from his range.

The simian grits his teeth, but he spoke with calmness laced over whatever emotion he swallowed down his throat, "... Yeah. I'll think about it." He quickly took what Pigsy arranged for him and shifts to soar up to the sky, leaving them with a grand cliché exit that leave no words exchanged.

Xiu eyed him from below, her hands shaking beside her. She interlocked her fingers to stop them and kept her frown hidden with the mask of her smile. But despite her best efforts to keep things to herself, the others had already caught on to the cold-shoulder he was giving her.

Macaque waited in the gym, glancing through the window as the night blossomed even darker with the moon hiding in the shadows. She was late. Far late than she'd ever been in training. Had she assumed that they won't be training today, Xiu would've dropped off to explain herself, or yell his name out loud so it'd reach his ears and he'd come forth, but there was no sign from her at all.

He'd been laying low for two days after that little celebratory reunion, so he wouldn't know a single thing about the others. Wukong wouldn't have cared, but MK would certainly call him out after he exited a while back all of a sudden, claiming he'd do some more schemings this time. No doubt the kid might know now that Xiu is under his wing after he was invited. Maybe he talked her out of it, making things even more troublesome for her.

He sat there and waited. And listened. But nothing came up.

Soon, Macaque was already heading out to find Xiu.

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