Well, this is the last Miwa sees of Macaque for a while, so....yeaaah.
__________________________________________________________
For the last whole week nothing crazy had happened, besides the day when Miwa ran into Redson in a bar when she had planned to confront those people, who's lives she had ruined.
Miwa hadn't made any contact with Macaque since the outburst she had, and she wasn't all comfortable in seeing him just yet. So she avoided any way she could run into him.
One of the days, MK and Mei had invited her to come with them to Wukong's place, which went as eventful as one would think when it all ended in MK playing some video game that she had tried a few times. Though that didn't mean she was gonna help MK cheat in it just because she knew how to play it.
Miwa had been texting Redson a few times ever since he added his number into her phone. But she hadn't told the others about that, because then they would start asking how that happened and they would find out about the fight she ran into.
Wukong had made a few visits, kind of, but she hadn't told him anything of her run in with the LDB or the outburst with Macaque. Since she was still questioning her existence and didn't know what to really believe. She hadn't even told the others, since she wasn't sure they could give an actual answer to this..
Even through some of the nights, she had noticed there being fewer stars at night sky. But that was only if someone took a closer look and notice of it. Otherwise no one would see the change.
*At Megapolis, MK, Miwa and their friends attend a shadow play.*
"I really hope Papa doesn't try anything." Miwa thought as she still couldn't believe how Mei and the others got her talked into this. She hadn't seen Macaque since that one night back at her apartment, so it felt a little awkward coming here.
"I'm so excited! I haven't been to the movies in ages!" said MK, all excited, snapping Miwa out of her thoughts and turned her attention to him.
"Uh, kid. This ain't a cinema." said Pigsy.
"It's a shadow play, with puppets." Tang explained.
"Shadow puppets to be specific. It's very interesting." said Miwa with a small smile.
" Wha? Puppets? No!" MK pulls out a Monkey Cop poster. "I thought we were seeing Kung Fu Monkey Cop: The Movie!"
"Eh, check the back." said Mei pointing at the poster.
"Somehow I'm not surprised you missed that part." said Miwa glancing at the back.
MK sees the back of the poster, revealing the shadow play he and the others attend to. He soon recognizes the Mayor. "Oh, Mei, Miwa. Isn't that the guy who gave us that weird key?"
Miwa completely froze up seeing the Mayor, it's been a while since she last saw him. But she still remembers him attacking her. So she understandably had her guard up on high alert.
"You mean the magic key that can unlock anything? Yeah, I'm pretty sure that is him, and I'm also pretty sure that he's still not actually the Mayor." said Mei, looking over at him.
The Mayor waves to MK and Miwa. "Hello!" Starts laughing out loud, sounding a bit crazy.
"Eurgh. Well, that's not creepy at all." said Tang, getting a little uncomfortable.
Miwa moved slightly closer to MK, ignoring the look on his face as he blushed a little.
"Point is, whatever we're watching, you've earned a break, kid. Both of you." said Pigsy looking at MK and Miwa.
"You've both been training super hard. I can't even remember the last time we all just hung out together!" Mei let out a long sigh. "I missed this."
"So, was Sandy just busy or..." Tang started asking.
"What are you talking about? We hang out all the time!" said MK, with an awkward smile.
"Nuh-uh. You two! It's always Monkey King this or some scary skeleton thing that with you lately! Don't even get me started on Miwa's family problems!" Mei pointed out.
".... I don't have family problems." Miwa mumbled, though she knew that was a lie.
"Well, yeah but—" MK tried explaining but was cut off.
"Just yesterday you blew off checkers night cause' you had to study. Study what, I might ask?!" Tang throws the checkers at MK, then turned to Miwa. "And you didn't even wanna show up for any new stories of legends and myths that I found. You're always hyped about hearing about that!" Throws a random book at her.
"Ah!" Miwa rubbed her head, slightly annoyed. "Didn't need to throw it."
"Alright, alright! I get it! It's just, Monkey King said..." MK thinks of his and Miwa's encounter with the Lady Bone Demon.
"Picked the wrong successor."
"I just– I need to be ready." MK stuttered, growing a bit nervous.
"Ready for what?" Pigsy asked, narrowing his eyes at him
Just then the lights started to dim.
"Shh! It's starting!" Tang whispered.
"Tang, would you—" Pigsy turned to Tang, who quickly shushed him.
A hanging shadow puppet emerges on stage from the ceiling.
Miwa raised an eyebrow and started growing slightly curious about what Macaque would be playing this time.
"Tang, what kind of play did you say this was?!" Pigsy questioned, starting to feel uneasy when watching this.
*The curtain opens to reveal, Macaque in his disguise.*
"Welcome viewers to a shadow play the likes of which have never been seen! It follows the tragic tale of a legendary warrior, and how those who bring light into this world inevitability bring darkness to those they hold dear." Macaque spoke, then took notice of Miwa being here too but didn't show any reaction as to keep his focus.
"Mei, Miwa, I just realized something." MK whispered to his two friends.
"What?" Miwa and Mei asked in unison and turned to look at him with a raised eyebrow.
"I, I don't have snacks!" said MK, all shocked.
"Kid, relax, you literally just ate!" said Pigsy.
"Must get snacks!" MK exclaimed.
"You can't be serious, MK? The show just started." said Miwa, not wanting to miss this even if her relationship with Macaque wasn't the best at the moment.
"Ugh, fine. Go grab some snacks." said Pigsy, motioning his hand for MK to go and get his snacks.
Miwa rolled her eyes with a sigh and turned her attention back to the play. But sadly her attention was quickly taken away from it as MK grabbed her and bolts out of the theater and into the lobby. "What the actual fuck MK?! I was just getting into it!"
*MK and Miwa stands at the snack counter in the lobby of the theater.*
"I can't believe I'm missing out on one of Papa's shadow plays. By MK dragging me with him." Miwa rubbed the bridge of her nose, with her tails slightly lashing around in annoyance.
"Umm, just a fizz whizz, jelly babies, a large sweet popcorn, milk drops, and an extra large soda gulp." MK turned to Miwa. "Anything you wanna get?"
"No, MK, I do not want anything." said Miwa, giving a small sigh.
Snack Gal scoffs, she goes to retrieve the snacks. A shadowy figure leaves the lobby, catching MK's attention. He runs after it, into an alley.
"Wha—MK! Wait up!" shouted Miwa, quickly chasing after him into the alley.
"Monkey King! You're—" MK then realizes the alley is empty, and sighs. "not here."
"MK, I know we went through something crazy a week ago, but I'm pretty sure if it was my Dad. I'd have noticed that old baboon right away." said Miwa, taking a glance around but didn't see any movement. Though she did grow a little skeptical. "I'm starting to think Papa is up to something. If I know him well enough as I do."
Taking one last look around, Miwa and MK headed back inside.
*MK barges into the theater, holding a large amount of snacks.*
"I still can't believe you got this many snacks." Miwa sighs following right behind him.
"Sorry, sorry, sorry. Where's that step?" MK falls into his seat, the lights dim. "Ha ha! Got back just in time! Oh! And here's that drink you asked for Mei. Uh, Mei?" He looks around, realizing he and Miwa are alone. "Where'd they?! Did you get bored already or?" The lantern's light catches his attention. "Whoa! So sparkly!"
Miwa on the other hand, was already getting a feeling Macaque had done something to their friends. So at this point, she was getting annoyed and summoned her spear ready.
The shadow play begins. It shows two silhouetted figures, one resembling the Hero and the other the Warrior.
"The Hero and the Warrior were like the Sun and the Moon. Their light, a protective glow, shining upon the world. Together, there was nothing that could stop the two of them. Either in the Celestial Realms or on Earth." Macaque told, as he sneakily summoned two clones to stop Miwa from trying anything.
"As time went on, the Hero attained power beyond comprehension. As the Hero's light grew, so too did his shadow. And soon, the Warrior was cast in that shadow. In the darkness, the Warrior was forgotten by the Hero." Finishing his play, he had Miwa fall into the shadows without MK taking any notice of it.
"Are you kidding me?!" shouted Miwa, getting up as the clones were gone. But now she was alone in the shadow realm.
Annoyed about this, Miwa easily got out of the realm and ended back at the theater. Now looking around for Macaque.
"Wow, Freckles, get any more angry and you might actually destroy the theater." said Macaque appearing right behind her, only to then quickly block a spear coming right at him.
"I'm not in the mood for any of your scheming, Papa, now tell me what you did to my friends." Miwa glare at him, with her spear still pointed at his face.
Macaque sighs at this, but doesn't make any movement of letting go of the spear pointed at him. "Relax, Freckles, I haven't caused them any harm. I've just locked them away for a little while."
"Where?" Miwa tried using force with her spear, but the control of it started to slip as it was losing its solid form.
Taking notice of this, Macaque raised an eyebrow. "Somewhere safe, so put away your spear. I'll release your friends after I'm done teaching MK a lesson."
"As much as I wanna believe you Papa, how can I be sure you won't hurt my friends or even MK most of all?" Miwa questioned, though she was starting to hesitate a bit with her spear.
"You can trust me, I wouldn't hurt any of them." Macaque slowly lowered her spear as it disappeared into the shadows. "MK is my student too, so as his mentor I should at least teach him something."
"Oh, so now you're his mentor?" Miwa glared at him. "If this has anything to do with Dad like last time. I'm not sure, I can forgive you."
Macaque gave her a glance, rolling his eyes and ruffled her hair.
"Hey!" Miwa batted his hand away from her hair. "I'm being serious here Papa."
"A little too serious I think." Macaque chuckled at her growing annoyance. But at least she wasn't having another outburst like last time, nor seemed to be fading away like last time. Which had worried him a bit when that happened.
Miwa growled at him in annoyance, but still seemed to relax a little. "You promise that none of them is gonna get hurt?"
Macaque sighs at this, but anything to stop her from worrying so much. "Yes I can promise you that. So you can relax, but that also means you can't get involved in what I'm teaching MK here."
"What? Why not?" Miwa asked, starting to think it was gonna end up like last time.
"If you get involved, it would ruined the point of me teaching him." Macaque reaching over to poke her forehead.
Getting flashbacks to Lady Bone Demon touching her forehead, had Miwa quickly slap his hand away on instinct. A hint of fear in her eyes at that painful memory.
Macaque took notice of it and started wondering what had her all shaken up like this. He even saw her four ears change into two, without her seeming to notice it by what he could see. But ears wasn't really something people would notice much.
"Say, little shadow, how about we go back to my place for the day?" He suggested, hoping that she would open up to him a bit again if they spend some time.
Miwa thought it over for a bit, if she should say yes or no to it. Then she remembered seeing that fake Mayor earlier in the theater though he was gone when she and MK returned. She worried that he might know where she lived.
She could just go back to Flower Fruit Mountain, but even with the other monkeys she would feel kind of alone. Miwa still wasn't sure if she could trust Macaque, but between him and Lady Bone Demon. He at least wouldn't try to hurt her in any way.
There also was the option of finding and staying with MK, but knowing Macaque. He probably wouldn't want her messing with his training by telling MK about the others. Which was most likely also the reason he offered this.
Macaque crossed his arms, giving her time to think it over. Though he still wondered how she figured out she was a wish, he knew she "had" been a wish he made long ago. But even so, he always saw her as his daughter. She even had some of the same powers as him. Though she did take after both him and Wukong.
"Okay, as long as you release my friends." said Miwa, imitating him a bit by crossing her arms too.
"Huh, monkey see, monkey do as some say." Macaque thought to himself, a smug grin appearing on his face giving a chuckle. "Sure, Starlight, I'll release them soon enough."
With that Macaque snapped his fingers, and they both fell into a shadow portal and ended back at his place.
*Macaque's place.*
When arriving at Macaque's place, Miwa took a glance around and wasn't surprised to see it being even more of a mess than the last time.
"You're almost as bad as Dad, with keeping things clean." said Miwa with a deadpan look.
"You're welcome to clean it all up if you're bothered by it so much." Macaque teased, smirking at her.
"..... I'm your kid, not... not your cleaning lady." said Miwa, though she seemed more hesitant. Since her mind went back to questioning if she was a wish or actually his and Wukong's kid.
Macaque shrugged at this. "Suit yourself, Freckles." He went to the kitchen and ignored the piles of dirty dishes.
Miwa just gave an annoyed sigh, her eyes changed to red when looking around the place and found herself a piece of paper and a pen.
"What's you doing?" Macaque asked when walking back out from the kitchen with some fruit, and saw her sitting with some paper and a pen.
Miwa turned her head, raising an eyebrow as her normal eyes met his. "Just writing down a list of what you need to clean up, in this cave you call a home."
"Yeah, sure. How about we put that to the side for now?" Macaque took the list with his tail and threw it into a pile of random junk.
Miwa opened her mouth to complain, but before she could say a word Macaque playfully forced a mango in her mouth.
"Relax kid and just enjoy some good fruit." said Macaque, taking a seat on the couch and began eating a banana.
Miwa narrowed her eyes at him and pulled the mango away from her mouth. "So when are you gonna release my friends? I only went with you as long as you did that."
"Soon enough, little star." said Macaque, rolling his eyes.
Miwa was starting to hate anything related to the stars and wishes, so him calling her that was slowly annoying her as much as whenever Wukong called her peaches. But she didn't say that out loud.
Macaque wasn't sure what was going through her head at the moment, but she clearly was annoyed by the look on her face. He let out a sigh and sat up a little more straight. "Right, almost forgot. I've got something for you, Princess."
"Huh?" Miwa snapped out of her growing frustration she was going through and turned her attention over to him. "Something for me?"
Macaque created a small shadow portal a stuck a hand inside it. "Hmmm, here... wait no that's not it." He pulled out a random pillow and threw it away and put his hand back in the portal, and kept pulling out random stuff.
Miwa watched him a little confused as he kept taking out random stuff from the portal for a few minutes.
"Aha! This is what I wanted to give you." Macaque pulled out a long blue scarf. "This wasn't easy to find, let alone even get. So it took me a good while."
Miwa's eyes widened in surprise when seeing the scarf. "Y-You got this for me?" She took the scarf while still surprised by all of this as she looked at him. "But why?"
"Yeah, see it as a very late birthday present." said Macaque, scratching the back of his head. "But this isn't just a normal scarf. It's magical, it protects you against cold and hot weather, and when you wear it. The part around your neck can turn into a hood to cover your head."
Miwa didn't know what to say, she had gotten birthday presents before from her friends, and some from the orphanage. But this was her first present she had gotten from any of her parents since she was a baby after all these years.
Macaque chuckled at how speechless she was as a smile grew on his face. Though for a moment he saw her skin change color to a more light brown, which caught him by surprise.
A big smile grew on Miwa's face as she tackled him into a tight hug. "Thank you so much Papa! I don't know what else to say."
"How about, 'You are so much better than Wukong, and you're the best parent." Macaque chuckled when he saw the look she was giving him.
"I'm not saying that, and I'm not getting between you two's problem with each other." Miwa slightly pouted. "A child should never get in between their parents." She pulled away from hugging him. "The child would be the only one who gets hurt in all of this."
"Worth a try." said Macaque, giving a shrug before patting her head. "Anyway, why don't you try on that new scarf and see what you think?"
"... Okay." said Miwa after glancing at her new scarf and began wrapping it around her neck, though wearing a hoodie was making it a little stuffy. "I might need to get a new outfit to match this. But otherwise, I love it very much."
Macaque couldn't help but laugh when seeing how stuffy her hoodie and scarf made her look, covering half of her face where only her eyes were noticeable. "Aw, you're too adorable looking like this."
"Papaaa." Miwa exclaimed in annoyance, her face flustering at this.
Macaque gently patted her head with a soft smile. "I'm happy you're alive, Miwa, and having you back in my life." At this he wasn't lying, but knowing something was coming and with Lady Bone Demon being back, he wasn't sure how much time he would have left with his kid.
Miwa was all flustered by this, her tails wagging in happiness and with her appearance seeming to flash between her current look and full monkey form. She felt tears forming in her eyes, Lady Bone Demon must have been lying and clearly trying to trick her into turning against her parents, mostly Macaque for some reason.
"..... I'm sorry for my outburst back then... when MK and I ran into Lady Bone Demon.... she... she put doubt in my mind about my existence and.... you." Miwa explained, as her extra pair of ears were back and even her eyes seems to start changing back to golden.
Macaque raised an eyebrow when seeing her ears and eyes returning to normal once more, which made him wonder if there was a connection to why that was happening. But hearing the mention of Lady Bone Demon made it clear to him that she had been trying to break Miwa's trust in him mostly, probably because he was the one who made the wish.
Which made him also wonder if she was trying to make Miwa lose her purpose when first created to grand his wish of a child for his and Wukong's own family once.
With what little information that was about wishes and the wishing stars, Macaque had at least found out that if a wish loses its way from what it was meant to grant. It would either become unstable or start fading away. Unless it can return to the original wish, it was meant to grant from the start.
"It's fine, little shadow. Not the first outburst I've had at me." said Macaque, wrapped an arm around her, pulling her into a hug. "How about you get some rest, you must have had a hard time these last few days."
Miwa accepted this hug, but as she was about to say something back to him, she felt something hitting the back of her neck. Knocking her out cold in a second.
.
.
.
.
.
Miwa slowly began waking up, rubbing the back of her neck when looking around. "What the fuck Papa?" Only then did she think back to MK and her friends. "I can't believe he did that, I need to find MK and hope Papa hasn't done anything bad to him like last time. Along with saving our friends."
Not giving it another thought, she shadow portaled and searched around the city for MK until she decided to check Macaque's theater, not hurting to look there.
"At the theater.*
Miwa arrived but stayed in the shadows when she saw MK going for a punch at what looked to be Wukong.
"Whoa, bud. You been workin' out? You pack a bigger punch than I remember." Wukong commented, giving a glance with a smirk.
"No. No, no, no. It's. It's you... Macaque!" MK exclaimed surprised.
"What the fuck Papa." Miwa glared but stayed hidden, she knew MK could handle himself mostly but if Macaque tried any tricks she would jump in to help.
Wukong laughs, revealing himself to be Macaque. "The one and only! So why so glum? I've noticed that lately you've been lookin' a little down!"
"What are you doing here?! Oh no! I just—" MK started questioning until he realized what he had just done.
"Unloaded all your secret insecurities on me! I know! But hey, no shame in that, man. Sometimes you just gotta talk it out, y'know? I don't really do it. Maybe I should. But we'd be here all day so..." Macaque told him with a smug look.
"..... I'm starting to think I got that from both him and Dad, neither of us wanna talk about our insecurities." Miwa thought to herself, hating to admit this.
"Would you just get to the point?!" MK tries to punch Macaque with his free hand, but it is also caught.
"Slow down, kiddo. This is the thanks I get for checking in on one of my favorite students?" Macaque asked him.
"I am not your student!" said MK, trying to push back.
"Well, with ol' Monkey King not around, I thought someone should teach you a lesson. Ah, MK, you really are dense aren't you? You saw a story about a hero who got handed everything, who didn't have to work for anything and you thought you were the other guy? The second the Hero got real power, he couldn't care less about his friends. That's you, bud." Macaque explained to him.
"This is the lesson Papa was talking about? Well so far he hasn't tried hurting him yet like before..." Miwa questioned in her mind, but still waited on him to make a move.
"Me? I-I'm not like that." said MK, not wanting to believe his words.
"Hmm, I beg to differ, kiddo." Macaque summons Mei, Pigsy, and Tang's shadows from within the lantern.
"So that's where he had them trapped, but what did he do to them?" Miwa glared over at him.
"Guys!" MK shouted.
"Oh, did you just realize they were missing? Classic hero maneuver. Maybe it's just me but these guys don't look too happy about being left in the shadow of the great Monkie Kid. Not to mention, my daughter, Miwa. Who you don't seem to have noticed not being anywhere." Macaque went on to taunt him.
The shadows began fighting MK.
Miwa couldn't believe what she was hearing, let alone what she was watching. She went to jump out and help MK, but Macaque had quickly caught on to the motion in the shadows. So he had gone on to use his own powers to keep her in the shadows and not help out MK. "Also, side note: How did you not know it was me? Shadows, kinda my gimmick isn't it? Hey don't look at me! Focus! Ooh this bit might hurt!"
The shadows tackle MK to the ground.
"Enough." MK breaks free and charges at Macaque with his staff, Macaque blocks the blow with his hand.
"You're right. That is enough. You know, you really are that bit too much like him. But good to see there's some potential." Macaque breaks the lantern, Pigsy, Tang, and Mei are free. While also letting Miwa get out of the shadows and join the others.
"Guys! You're okay!" MK ran over to check if they were all alright.
"At least he kept his word and released them." Miwa thought with a slight smile.
"What happened? Wait, is that–" Mei asked before noticing movement.
MK grunts, then follows Macaque into the alleyway, with Miwa right behind him.
"What is your deal? Why did you do that!" MK asked, clearly frustrated.
"Not to mention you knocking me out earlier, what the hell?" Miwa crossed her arms.
"Hm, why'd I break the lamp? Well I was gonna do that whole 'watch the hero be tormented by his own mistakes' thing but it seems like you're kinda already doing that to yourself, which honestly has been an absolute pleasure to watch. Y'know, I meant what I said. You really are a good kid. A good kid with a really terrible teacher." said Macaque sitting on a roof and looking down at them. "Sorry, Freckles, thought you would stay knocked out longer so you wouldn't see this."
"I thought you were my teacher?" MK told him.
"Damn, get burnt." said Miwa, giving a light giggle.
"Ooh ouch!" said Macaque feeling that burn, while giving a glance at Miwa.
"It was you wasn't it? Monkey King was the Hero and the Warrior was you? Right?" MK questioned him.
"Maybe you're not as dense as you look. Something's coming. Something you're not even close to ready for. Don't worry. You can never have too many teachers, right?" Macaque chuckled and turned his attention to Miwa. "See you around, Freckles. Hope to see you wearing that scarf next time" With that, he disappears. Pigsy, Tang, and Mei burst out the door.
"Kid. Explain now. You too Miwa." said Pigsy walking over to them.
"Uh, okay. But we're definitely gonna need snacks." said MK, scratching the back of his head.
"You and your snacks." Miwa shook her head with a small smile.
*A few hours later, back inside the theater.*
Macaque picks up the shards of the lantern. When the Mayor claps behind him.
"Bravo! Bravo! What a performance!" said the Mayor with a big smile.
Macaque slowly began taking a few steps back. "Thanks, last show actually. I was just heading off—"
The Mayor appears right in front of him and chokes Macaque. "Lady Bone Demon would like a word. Oh, and she'll be needing that." He went to pick up the lantern, but someone else did it.
"Now, now, no need to be this rough with him. After all, we do need him to carry out the next step." said a girl with green and white hair, along with a green scorpion tail and white stripes on her body. Not to mention her colorful clothes, almost the same as Huangse.
(image)
The two turned their attention to her, both raising an eyebrow.
"And who may you be dear?" The Mayor asked, still wearing a creepy smile on his face.
The girl let out a small giggle. "Luse Xing, but you can just call me Luse." She held up the lantern while smiling softly at the two. "I must say, seeing two wishing people at the same time, in the same place, is very rare."
Macaque narrowed his eyes at her, until he caught on to the same realization as the Mayor about who this person was.
"Now, let's get moving, shall we?. Dear wish people." Snapping her fingers, Luse had a green star shape appear under them as the three teleported away.