The End Is Never The End

The group was eating dinner when Liuer asked Fa Ming the question.

“Sifu, do you think we will find auntie on our journey?”

“Oh, I have no doubt in my mind my boy. I believe she is still looking for us as we speak.” The older man chuckled.

Wukong raised an eyebrow at the reply. An aunt? The boy never mentioned anything about an aunt before. He glanced at the white dragon who was pretending to not pay attention to the conversation. The flickering ears gave the eavesdropper away.

Bajie was the one who voiced their questions.

“You have an aunt? What does she look like? Is she pretty? Is she looking for a strong warrior by any chance to court?” The pig ‘flexed’ his ‘muscles’ and wiggled his eyebrows.

Well, he asked some shared questions.

Liuer shook his head. “I don’t think auntie would want to be courted by the Great Sage right away, but maybe if she did want to—” The boy was interrupted by a dejected Pigsy and teacher clearing his throat. Fa Ming was rocking the little girl they had unofficially adopted into the group. “What Liuer means is his auntie is very selective of people she lets close to her, never mind attempt to court her.”

The former celestial slumped back on his spot in a huff, doing his best to ignore the muffled giggles of the dragon and monkey. “That’s not fair, she hasn’t even met me yet.”

“And neither have you.” Wukong chimed in.

The pig gave him a stink eye. “Oh, so you think you have a better shot at courting a woman than me? I am The Master of courting!”

A peach pit landed in the center of Pigsy’s forehead. Wukong raised an eyebrow as he leaned back against the tree. “First off, I am not interested in courting anyone. I’ve already been there and done that—”

“You courted someone!? Who!?”

Oh stars this was a mistake.

The Monkey King suddenly grew interested in the blade of grass that had gotten stuck in his pants. He needed to change this subject now.

“Umm, Liuer, how about you tell me more about your auntie first?” Hopefully, the boy would be too invested in his story telling that he would forget this whole conversation.

“Auntie is always helping out around the city and making us yummy foods to eat!” The young boy tugged on his master’s sleeve. “Tell them Sifu! Tell them!”

The older man sighed. “She has been with us for most of our lives. A blessing from the Heaven’s, I am sure.”

Wukong let out a small snort. Yeah sure, a ‘blessing’ from the celestial court. As if Heaven would truly be so generous.

“And auntie always tells the best stories about you Great Sage!” the little boy’s eyes suddenly lit up. “Wait, can you tell us if they are true? I remember every story auntie told me before we got separated. Please? Please Great Sage?”

Wukong was glad that no one important was there to witness him folding over the little boy’s wet eyes. He folded his arms on the back of his head and smirked. “Fine, let’s see how ‘accurate’ your auntie has told you about me.”

The Monkey King was fully prepared to hear some tall tale of his exploits or even a version of his rampage over the celestial armies. That was what every mortal and immortal ever talked about when it came to him.

“Auntie said that your favorite fruits were the big peaches of Mount Huagou facing the sun rise.”

The Great Sage had not expect that to come from the tiny monk’s lips. Liuer didn’t seem to notice the monkey stiffen and continued. “She also said that when you became the king of all the monkeys on your mountain, your first crown was a coconut shell.”

Bajie let out a short laugh before a quick glare from Wukong shut him up. The white dragon had no qualms in letting a small chuckle loose.

“Those are oddly specific things.” Wukong admitted.

The little boy nodded. “She also said that the first time you used war paint on your face you poked your eye and stumbled into a pond.”

Wukong’s eye twitched as heat began rising to his cheeks. “Okay I didn’t stumble, a rock just so happened to be in my way, and I couldn’t move my foot in time.” His eyebrows were raised now. “How does your auntie know this?”

The little monk shrugged as the Monkey King’s mind began racing. There were few demons and immortals that were around that knew him before that blasted mountain came down on him. But even fewer knew of his more embarrassing moments before he claimed his title as The Great Sage Equal to Heaven.

The dragon snorted as his eyes were glued on Fa Ming. The older man looked conflicted and wanted to say something but was deciding against it.

“Fa Ming, is there something you want to share with the rest of us?” Wukong meant for it to sound less demanding than what it came out as. Pigsy, Liuer and the dragon’s eyes were trained on the old man as he sighed in defeat.

“I believe I have a way of getting her to come to us. Please wait a moment.” The older man passed the sleeping girl to Liuer before standing up and walking a few feet away from the campsite. He sat down by a large tree and looked like he was praying?

Or perhaps he was mediating?

It was a good couple of minutes before the bushes near the older monk began to rustle in urgency. Wukong, Pigsy and the dragon each got into a battle stance, carefully making sure the humans of the group were safely tucked behind them. Suddenly a small pouch of colored dust landed in front of the group.

Wukong had seen this pouch before… before…

He barely registered Liuer’s yelps before his body suddenly became heavy and dropped. His eyelids suddenly felt like the mountain he had been trapped under as the dragon and Pigsy both fell to this invisible enemy.

“Fa Ming! Liuer!” A warbly voice rang out. Who was calling them? Why did he feel so sleepy and limbs felt so heavy?

As his vision darkened, Wukong could sworn he saw a white fluffy figure holding Liuer close while staring wide eyed at him.

Now who could that be…?

He never got to ask his question before a large wave of drowsiness and sleep pulled him under.