Goobiest Goober

Sun Wukong was always a man who wanted to be the center of the world. He was, and still is, a cheeky simian whose chest puffed up with every compliment and handed praise. You could point out such a simple feature about him and watch his head inflate, which is why you chose to ignore his company.

You've heard all the stories about Wukong thanks to Tang and MK reading those books about the Journey to the West almost every day of the week. It didn't help that Wukong became a new staple in MK's life, so that also meant he would tell those same stories and new ones to the people who circled him with glee. In no way did you want to associate with the embodiment of a storm. He was carefree and persistent, reaching higher for every podium he landed on. While you walked on the road from Point A to Point B. You dug your heels in concrete as the Monkey King flew over you.

Was it annoying to you when you wanted to enjoy a bowl of noodles? Yes it was, but it was easy to ignore. After all, there were enough people who wanted the Monkey King's paws stamped onto their forehead to never wash off. He wouldn't be THAT desperate enough for approval, right?

And that line of thinking was the first mistake you've ever made.

Incident #1: Pigsy's Noodles

Your first mistake was thinking that Wukong had enough attention to inflate his ego. Clearly it was your fault for thinking he wasn't being given enough.

A week goes by and you're back in Pigsy's Noodles. You're finally relaxing after finishing work and were drooling at the thought of a fresh bowl being served to you with vegetables and savory broth. You walk into the restaurant to greet Tang and Pigsy. Tang is sitting in his designated spot by the barstool area, lifting his head up from his book to greet back, and Pigsy leaning by the register with a plastered smile.

"How ya doing, kid? Busy day?" Pigsy sympathizes as you slump in your barstool.

"Busy doesn't even begin…" you yawned, placing your cheek above the island.

Tang sets his books down and turns to face you. "You really need to take a break from work. I've been telling you to do this for weeks but you're pretty… How do I put it?"

"Determined." Pigsy completes, turning to the open kitchen. "Ain't nothing wrong with a bit of hard work 'cause the ending results are worth it."

Tang shakes his head. "Easy for you to say. You're all about hard work, Pigsy."

Pigsy lets the statement pass, walking over to you with a fresh bowl of noodles. He grins as he watches you break your chopsticks and slurp down.

Pigsy gestures at you to Tang. "And that's why reactions like these are always satisfying." and the scholar merely shakes his head playfully. Just as Pigsy walks back into the kitchen, the bell above the door rings out, alerting the restaurant of a new customer.

Enter Sun Wukong, donning a hoodie over his head, sweatpants, and sunglasses indoors. You don't take notice as you're too busy inhaling your noodles like a starved animal, but Tang immediately inhales heavily, almost choking on air.

Pigsy hears the commotion, pacing back to the front. "Tang, what's got you in a—oh. Hey there, Monkey King." he gruffs.

"Pigsy!" Wukong cheers. He sits on the stool beside you. "How've ya been? How's work going?"

Pigsy snorts and crosses his arms. "It's been slow today, but fine. If you want a bowl, it's gonna take a minute."

"I've got all day." Wukong smiles. He then turns his head and sees you chewing your food, unaware of his presence. "Hey, I know you! You're one of MK's buddies."

"Mhm." you hummed, swallowing before picking up another batch to blow on.

Wukong pouts, turning on his stool to lay his elbows back on the island. "I saw you here last time. You know, I don't really see you around MK and the others, why's that?"

Your noodles hover near your mouth and you mutter, "Busy." before you place the noodles in your mouth. You're a little irritated that they cooled too much.

"Makes sense, but with what? I'm assuming a job, I mean, that should be the obvious answer. So, what do you do?"

Normally any sane person would see a person eating and wait for them to put their food down before speaking, but not the Monkey King. He's continuously trying to get to know you while you're eating your meal after a tiring day. You felt like your short responses should have been a clear warning, yet he continues to talk about how he taught MK about practicing patience. Wanting the conversation to end, you let out a low growl as you swallowed another batch of chewed noodles and veggies.

"Huh. Say, if you'd like, I can teach you a thing or two about patience." Wukong teases.

The sound of cracked chopsticks sounds out. Tang hears a metaphorical crack sound out in the quiet restaurant and utters out a quiet, "Oh boy."

"Pigsyyyy," you groaned. "can I take my food to go?"

The pig demon looks disappointed, but sighs as he grabs a large plastic container and bag from the cupboard. He takes your bowl to pour your noodles inside, closes it with a lid, and wraps the container inside the plastic bag, finally coming over to hand it to you.

"Make it home safe. Hope to see you when you're not busy."

"Thanks, Pigsy. I'll try to come over again this week." your fingers hook the bow of the bag and hop out of your stool, waving goodbye to Pigsy and Tang. When you walk past Wukong, you don't even spare a glance, but he sees the quick eyeroll you do as you leave the restaurant.

"SERIOUSLY!?" Pigsy barks out at the simian.

Wukong laughs nervously while Tang shakes his head with disapproval.

"Not our great first impression, but things'll come around, right?"

Incident #2: The Museum

The second mistake was thinking you would be safe in a public area; Wukong was, and still is, a famous person. Thanks to technological advancements, it was easy to see people post sightings of him and bring attention to the location he's in within minutes. The amount of photos you've seen of him on your timeline is astounding. If you were Wukong, you knew it would be impossible to walk outside your house without a single person knowing who you are. After all, he came to Pigsy's with a simple disguise just to eat. The only time he would be able to sit comfortably was in places that were slow and Flower Fruit Mountain. 

But Wukong wasn't on your mind today (besides earlier, but shh). Today would be your day. At the museum!

Tang was the one who suggested it. He's been there so many times that he has the layout memorized in his head. You may have teased the bookworm for being able to do so, but it was out of the kindness of your heart. Still, he sends you the link to the website, even sending you money for a ticket.

“Courtesy of your wisdom master, Tang.” he said as he pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose.

You walked inside the museum and immediately awed at its size. Not for long though, you had to display your ticket before entering, shimmying your way in like a kid sneaking a peek for a present. The inside was astonishing: pristine with a lack of dust, and many of the artifacts inside were covered by sturdy glass behind velvet rope. There were a LOT of security guards as well.

Well, better than the worst happening. You wouldn't want another Redson and Demon Bull King incident happening again.

Speaking of DBK, there's a recent area dedicated to his past and current incident. You begin to walk through, able to pinpoint specific items that Mei had rambled to you over the phone with images included. You even saw the pair of sneakers he and Redson had taken from that livestream. Ah, the memories. You still remember the day when MK came back to Pigsy's Noodles and retold how he defeated DBK. You unknowingly had a smile on your face as you stared at the shoes behind the glass case.

"Oh, hey, that's DBK's shoes!" a familiar voice points out. You immediately feel your smile drop.

"Hey, Monkey King." you dryly replied. You look over and see Wukong in the same get-up as before, sunglasses now covering his eyes.

"Didn't know you'd be here. What's up?"

"I came to the museum. Alone. Emphasize on alone."

"Yeah, but that gets boring after a while! Come on," he wraps his arm around you and pulls you next to him, "we can be field trip buddies! You and me, huh? Huh? I have infinite wisdom on this subject." he waves his arms in the air as if to display and you look up. He begins to walk into the Journey to the West section.

Of course.

You're forced to enter. Wukong spends the moments ooh-ing and ah-ing at the TVs displaying slideshows of art from the late Ming Dynasty. He was aggressively pointing at the written sutras that were restored and were described to you by Wukong himself. He would go on about how the gods helped him and the group during the Journey to the West, the demons that threatened to eat Tripitaka for the power of immortality—sometimes sprinkling in facts about his haydays before being trapped under a mountain.

He lets out a bitter laugh. “That was not a fun time, believe me.”

“I’m sure. I can’t imagine my nose itching and my hands stuck in stone.”

“UGH, I don’t even wanna THINK about that feeling! It was so horrible!” and on, and on, and on.

Sure, you were sympathetic, you really were, but you’ve heard this tale throughout the years you’ve known MK. If you wanted a refresher on the topic, all you needed to do was say the Monkey King’s name and watch the delivery driver snap his neck at you and pull out his entire bookshelf of the Journey to the West. 

For a moment, you thought you saw him focus on an image of the JTTW group longer than any artifact in the museum, but he quickly looked away from it to giggle about the Kingdom of Women (you admittedly allowed a huff to go through your nose without him noticing).

That was the only enjoyment you had with him. The rest of his "tour" was just him repeating the same stuff you've heard MK and Tang talk about numerous times from the book.

"Pretty great, right? I mean, who else could retell the story of the Journey to the West in such detail?" he smiles proudly and chuckles.

"You think I came to the museum by myself just for you to come explain to me about the artifacts with physical descriptions on display? What’s the point of coming here if you were just gonna repeat the same thing?"

Wukong's smile twitches. "Well, that... uh… I mean, I thought a guide would be good! An experienced one at that!" his hand combs through his hair, riding up his glasses and dropping the hood on his shoulders.

"Oh my gosh, it's the Monkey King!" a random man pointed at the monkey.

"Shoot. Hey, I…"—YOU'RE ALREADY NEAR THE EXIT???—"Hey, wait!" Wukong tries to reach out, but is blocked by fans beginning to circle him.

He watches you turn back to him, roll your eyes, and exit the museum. He's not able to react as his fans continue to surround him.

You stand out on the sidewalk and begin to plug your earphones in your ears. So much for a ‘me’ day. You sighed as you made your way to the parking lot in search of your car.

Incident #3: Flower Fruit Mountain

The third mistake was solely MK's fault and you still bring it up to this day because yes, MK, you don't just leave your phone at home and ask your friend to bring it to where the Monkey King lives.

If it wasn't obvious enough, MK somehow forgot to bring his phone when he launched himself to the mountain with his staff. It truly baffled you how he couldn’t go three seconds without it, yet manages to forget the thing about an hour after he left. It took the power of astral projection and a heart attack for him to plead with you to bring his phone to Flower Fruit Mountain. Something about him being “Too busy training with the Monkey King.” and, “Don’t wanna to lose my flow!”.

"Why not ask Mei?" you questioned the projection.

"She's touring people at her estate today."

"Sandy?"

"Therapy session."

"Pigsy?"

"At said therapy session—now you're just making excuses at this point, come on! Besides, you know how he is!" MK says.

"Tang?" the two of you stare at each other blankly. "Why me?"

"I know your work schedule. That, and you texted the group chat that you would be off this week."

UGH!

So you relented, getting in your car and driving to the mountain by yourself. You even decide to plug MK's phone into the charging port to give him extra battery life. Seriously, Tang couldn't take the time to do this? (You knew he couldn't; his legs would be jelly by the time he got there, no matter how strong of a fanboy he was.)

You've never been to the mountain before. It would have been fine if it were MK asking you to come—he's the sole exception, being your best friend and all—but Wukong would be there because he, you know, lives there. It's safe to say that these first few impressions of the Great Sage haven't been favorable to you. You sort of missed when you heard stories about him rather than experiencing them yourself. And you hated to admit it, but it was slightly humorous. Charming, even. Not in a way that would bring you closer, no. It was like watching a random kid prepared to do something cool—when the reality of it was the fact that they were about to faceplant into the dirt.

It takes a good amount of time to reach Flower Fruit Mountain, the sun beginning to make its way down the horizon. You had to leave your car behind to trek up dirt and stone paths all the way up the waterfall where Wukong's seal was placed. It should be open for you… MK said the seal should allow you to enter without being thrown out. You're able to jump through the waterfall without being dampened and continue walking towards—

BOOM!!

—the training area.

MK lands on his feet, landing in a hero pose to stop him from gliding out of the invisible arena. 

You keep your distance on the stairway and wave. "YO! MK!"

MK jolts and turns to you with a smile, waving frantically. "HI, [NAME]!"

A figure materializes behind him with glinting eyes.

MK blinks, looking back to dodge the drop kick Wukong had planned for him. The ground below his foot leaves a cracked dent in the rock. MK wastes no time in swinging his staff to prevent his mentor's punches from reaching his face—SWISH—and fails to land a hit on him. You swore you heard a faint chuckle under Wukong's breath.

You watch as Wukong's tail darts towards MK's ankle and wraps around it.

"Uh oh." MK shrieks as he's tossed up in the air.

Wukong jumps and lands a heavy kick to his head, sending MK back down to the ground with a heavy boom. The monkey lands, his tail swishing smoothly. He turns to you and grins, placing his hands on his hips.

"What'dya think of that, huh!?" he panted.

You shrug. "Good job?" and see his tail fall down.

Meanwhile, his pupil crawls from the hole with his eyes shut, his outfit now dusted in dirt and grass stains. "I fell for that trick again!" MK whined. He opens his eyes again, jumping out happily at the sight of you. He runs past his mentor, who turns back to see MK glomping you.

"Good to see you, too." you pat his back and wait for him to let go, then reach into your pocket to pull out his phone. "I charged it on the way over here. You really need to keep track of stuff better."

MK swipes the phone from you and hugs you again. "THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU! Hoo boy, I owe you a TON of favors, [Name]!"

"You owe me nothing…" you turn away before looking over your shoulder, "Except my favorite drink from that one spot in the city."

"Wha—no! Come on! That drink is super pricey!"

"It's ten bucks and is made with good quality ingredients." you almost drooled imagining the drink alone as MK whined again. You shake the thought off and pat his shoulder. "How's training going?"

"Uh—great! Awesome, even! Monkey King's training has been SUPER helpful."

The latter comes next to the young adult and messes with his hair. "Yep! Kid's been flying with passing colors. Top student if I say so myself."

That actually gets your attention. Your eyebrows jolt up for a moment in acknowledgement. "That's… good. Mk's been taking breaks, right?"

"He—"

"YES!" MK interrupts. "Yes—I've been taking breaks! I promise. I swear on my life. Cross my heart." he makes an 'X' over his chest with his pointer finger. Wukong nods.

"And you've been handling the... incident well, right?"

An unspoken stare between you and MK is easy for Wukong to decipher.

After all, the Lady Bone Demon was no ordinary villain of the week for his successor.

The delivery driver then smiles at you. "...I've been good." he says. You continue to stare at each other for five more seconds before your eyes shift back.

"Okay, I trust you, MK. But, uh, yeah… good work, you two." you take your turn in rubbing MK's head, "Buy me that drink and we'll call it even." you say as you make your way back to the gate. The two men watch as you leave before Wukong looks at MK.

“Okay, that was way too close. We’ll be taking a break now.” Wukong whispers to his pupil. MK is moody, head hunched down at the thought of spending his hard earned money.

Wukong chuckles. "Chin up, bud. Tell you what, I'll get the drink for them."

"You'd do that for me?" MK whimpers.

"I mean, I got tons of money lying around, so, yeah." Wukong scratches the back of his neck. The moment MK bolts hugs him, his arms are already wrapped around the young adult.

"THANK YOU! You're a life saver, Monkey King! My wallet is crying tears of joy!" MK practically sobbed to his mentor.

"No problem, kid." Wukong pats the top of his wailing student's head. Wukong looks back down the path you were walking and freezes in place when he realizes you had stopped to look at them. It was safe to assume you had witnessed the conversation in its entirety. What surprises Wukong… is the small lift on the corner of your mouth. The light from the sunset shimmers the edge of your silhouette, making you and your surroundings more delicate.

The moment passes when you turn to continue your way down the mountain. MK is still sobbing and praising Wukong for saving him an extra ten bucks, but Wukong is barely paying any attention to the words he was spewing, his mind has already burned the view of you glowing by the sunset with an approving smile.

It was enough to make his heart stutter.

"Say, are we actually taking a break? I need to catch up on Mei's messages." MK waves his vibrating phone in front of the simian.

"Uh—yeah, go ahead." he hears MK squeak out, 'Yesss!' before sitting criss-cross on the ground next to his leg. "Say, kid,"

"Mm, yeah?"

"Your friend, [Name]… have they been alright?"

MK hums. "I think so. They've been busy these past few weeks since—" MK pauses. A visible drop of sweat rolls down his forehead. "HAHA—since we beat the Lady Bone Demon and her lacky! There's nothing to worry about—we're all in Coolsville!"

Wukong squats down to the floor with an arched brow. "You're not as slick as you think you are, kid."

"Who's to say…?" he replies, shaky. Wukong's tail lands on MK's forehead and pushes him to the floor. Wukong is able to catch the phone before it lands. "Oughhhh, mysoremuscles…"

While his student continued to groan on the floor, his phone repeatedly buzzed with new messages. When he looks down, he sees they're coming from you.

[ NAME ]: Listen. I know that LBD messed you up pretty bad… and I know you're training, like, any other day, but don't overwork yourself, MK

[ MK ]: i promise im not.. You dont need to worry too much

[ NAME ]: Still. Go to Sandy if you feel overwhelmed. It's what I do

[ NAME ]: He's a good therapist

Incident #4: Sandy's boat

As much as you enjoy your job and its pay, times get stressful, and that's why you've decided to go to the water demon. The big softie was kind enough to let you set appointments anytime you were ready to crack. You'd drive over, talk over some tea, do breathing exercises together, then say your farewells before driving back home.

Mo would sometimes participate in these get togethers, stretching his body out on the couch and hopping into one of your laps to nap. It was hard to notice when you were in a deep state of meditation, but it was worth the heavy purring you'd hear when you would scratch his head after the session.

It's a very soothing experience, really. Sandy's home always had the scent of incense and the sun's rays shone through his window perfectly, giving you the faint warmth from the outside. He always catered to your needs every time you came over.

You want to de-stress from work? Tea and meditation.

You just want to rant? Background music, snacks, and a cat of your choosing.

You want to vent about your place in this world? Tea, incense, meditation, and a good talk.

Sandy was always prepared with something and you were grateful for it.

Right now, you're stretching your arms up after a meditation session. Sandy begins to pick up the empty tea cups and plates from his coffee table.

"Here, lemme help, Sandy." you reach for a cup, but it's immediately taken from you.

"Please, you're my guest. It's my job to clean up the mess." he smiles (and you're almost blinded by his wholesomeness). Mo meows at you from the couch, making you walk over and glide your hand over his head, causing him to push his head up to your palm (and you're almost close to dying from cuteness aggression). Sandy places the dishes in the sink, carefully running water over them.

"Thanks for listening to me talk about what happened. I didn't want to stress out MK or the others about it." you said.

"It's no trouble at all, really! It took me a while to process it, too. I can tell MK's still thinking about it. He's practically avoided the subject all together. I'm worried for him." he turns off the sink and begins to fill his kettle with fresh water. "You did tell him to come over whenever he's feeling down, right?"

"I did. I didn't get much of a response from him about it, but I hope he took it to heart." you give Mo one last pet before walking to the door. "I'll keep you posted if anything comes up. I'll see you around, Sandy."

"See ya! Oh, there should be someone by the door. I almost forgot he was coming today."

"Oh? Who is it?" You open the door and freeze.

Wearing his usual out-in-public outfit, Wukong stood in front of you, hand prepared to knock. You swore the gust of wind played a role in keeping things less awkward.

It did not help.

"Heyyy, [Name]!" Wukong chuckles. "Didn't expect to see you here."

"Likewise." you cross your arms.

Sandy walks up behind you and smiles at Wukong. "Monkey King! It's great to see you, friend!"

"Hey, Sandy! I'll be in there in a bit, I wanna catch up with [Name] for a sec."

"Hehe, alright." Sandy politely moves you from the door and softly closes it, leaving you outside with Wukong. You're… still not used to how easily strong the water demon is.

It's quiet for a moment. Then, Wukong asks, "You come over to Sandy's sessions, too?"

"When work's too stressful, yeah. Other than that, I come for the tea and snacks. And Mo."

Wukong chuckles at the last bit. "Yeah."

"Why do you come here?"

His smile drops but reforms. "Ahh, y'know, even the king needs a break from it all sometimes.It’s my first " you continue to look at him, causing him to glance away. You don't relent, moving in his line of sight. He flinches, then ducks his head away. "I just need a break after everything. Y'know… LBD."

The Lady Bone Demon.

It was only a few months back when she had nearly taken over the world. While your friends were out there preventing the end times, you were finding refuge in the city. It was a very stressful time and it took the request of Sandy—and getting professional therapy—to get through it.

Your eyebrows pinch, giving a look of genuine worry. "I can't blame you for that. The Lady Bone Demon really did a number on us. You and MK didn't take it well especially. I still haven't either."

"You're still affected by it?" he asked, shocked.

"I don't have powers like you. Or MK. Or Mei. I'm a normal human, Wukong, with a job and bills to pay. No descendent from back then. If I can't be on the field, the least I could do is make sure no one was swept in LBD's ice."

"I can't imagine…" he trails off.

You realize how tense your body was and relax yourself. "I'm sorry. I'm genuinely not blaming you, but I think it's still an open sore. I'm glad you're getting the same amount of help as I am."

Wukong guilt remains in full display, tail curling behind him. "No. A lot of the blame is on me. I know you were worried about the kid."

You don't know why that struck a cord.

"Of course I was worried for MK. For anyone as a matter of fact." you pause. "I get scared too, Wukong."

An admittion; a metaphorical hand that reached out to the Great Sage.

And he takes it.

"I always took you for the strong one." he says. "Kinda like me."

"…We look strong for those we care for so they don't worry or… make us look good to them." you glance away. Wukong does the same, tail curling again.

The Great Sage Equal to Heaven, fearful of his mirror. He hates the cracks but continues to stare. The revelation has you sympathizing with him and his persona. Nights past 1 A.M. made you realize that you and Wukong were kind of one in the same, people who hid their true selves underneath, putting up a front to protect them from the natural causes, and to appear as someone who had it all together. Underneath laid a soft shell that could only be exposed through a safe environment.

"Well, don't let me keep you waiting." you pull your keys from your pocket and circle them around your finger.

"Before you go," Wukong takes off his sunglasses and puts them in his hoodie pocket, "thanks for bringing the kid his phone last week."

"Uh, no problem?" you shrugged. "I was just doing him a small favor."

"Yeah, but… It's about the integrity of it." Wukong slides his hand down the side of his face. "Okay, I'm stalling."

"Stalling?" you repeat.

"Okay… this isn't about MK… or the phone. I know I haven't been giving you the best impressions of me and I wanna fix that. So you're not impressed with my tricks, big whoop, but I can't be a part of MK's life if I can't even get along with one person who’s known him a majority of his life."

Your expression shifts. "And why did you think your fancy tricks would work on me?"

"Everyone likes tricks. They're fun. Awesome!" he expands his arms out, and you push them back down to his sides.

"And sometimes they lose their magic when you've experienced them enough times. I can recite the story of The Peach Festival without the book in my hand. Can you imagine that? Hearing it enough times to the point you can memorize it bit-by-bit?"

"I cannot imagine it. That must sound awful." Wukong robotically says. You don't catch it thankfully, too busy ranting about it for another minute. This would be an awful time to admit that he has read the book enough times to memorize it bit-by-bit as well…

You hunch over and sigh before lifting yourself back up. "Okay, seriously, I should head home. I think Sandy will be disappointed if your poured tea has gone cold." you begin to walk back to your car before Wukong calls out.

"Before you go, can I, uh, get your number?" he lifts his phone out of his pocket and waves it. "Can't be buddy-buddy if there's no way to contact you."

He sees you hesitate, glancing away from him while giving your keys a single twirl in your hand. 

“MK’s been taking breaks during training, right?”

“I’ve been enforcing them.” he immediately responds. No hesitation or second to think, straight. You remain quiet for another moment.

Just as he's about to make a joke to kill the silence, you slowly walk back to Wukong, pulling out your phone.

Wukong's tail swings behind him.

Incident #5: Flower Fruit Mountain (…again.)

[ Monkey ]: R u free tofay?

[ Monkey ]: *today

[ U/N ]: After work, I should be

[ U/N ]: Why?

[ Monkey ]: I wanna hangout today

[ Monkey ]: Consider this a friendly get together

[ U/N ]: We had a friendly get together two days ago lol

[ U/N ]: If there's nothing more I need to do today, I'll come over

[ U/N ]: I'll let you know when I'm by the waterfall

And then he left you on read.

Well, he did react to your message with a smiling monkey emoji, so he really didn't.

When you clock out of work, you send a text that you were on the way and make the drive all the way to Flower Fruit Mountain. By then, the sun had already vanished from the sky, leaving you to use your phone's flashlight. No matter how many times you've been here, you weren't going to risk yourself slipping on a wet rock and ruining the rest of your day. You reach the waterfall and unlock your phone to text Wukong of your arrival.

The moment the message is sent, the sound of the barrier rings out, parting the waterfall's way to spotlight the Monkey King with his hands on his hips. He's absolutely gone all out tonight, wearing sweatpants and a stupid Monkey Cop t-shirt while you remained in your work uniform.

"You finally made it!" he chirps as you hop through the waterfall.

"Grace my presence, Great Sage." you grin. Wukong gasps, pinching the baggy sides of his sweatpants to lift up like a dress.

"Forgive my insolence, O'Wise one!" the two of you laugh. He gets up and waves his arm. "C'mon, I wanna show you something."

It doesn't take long to walk the steps up to his estate. Where he would usually take you to his home, he takes a different path for you to follow, guiding you up a hill with vines and bushes on the stone path.

You glance behind, watching your usual hangout spot shrink in the distance. "Where are you taking me, Wukong?"

"Relax, we're almost there."

As vague as that statement was, you continue to move tree branches from your face and follow him up the mountain. True to his word, he stops and waves you over to show you where you would be. A large cliffside that had paper-colored lanterns lined near its edge, lighting up a fur blanket on the floor and its various items that laid on top of it. It was surprisingly hospitable, thought out more than his home below.

While you're busy at the sight, Wukong walks over to the blanket to pick something up and bring it back to you. It was a drink, the same one that he told MK he'd pay for a few months back.

"Shut. Up." you take the drink from his hand and take a savored sip. Wukong laughs as he watches your shoulders deflate in bliss.

"That drink can't be THAT good." he takes the drink back and takes a sip of it.

He pauses.

Then, he takes another sip.

Then another.

You swipe it back. "I thought it was for me!?"

He cheekily smiles and leans back, shrugging his shoulders up. "Come on, take a seat." he brings you over to the blanket and plops you down, doing the same. Wukong then opens a plastic bag. The paper lanterns gave you enough light to see the sweat inside of it.

"I figured you'd be hungry down the line, so I picked up some dumplings before you made it over here." You set your drink down as he opens up a styrofoam container full of fresh dumplings. He then hands it to you. "That one should be yours. Made sure to get the ones you like."

"Dude, c'mon…" you gave a bashful grin, taking the container.

"Was I supposed to let you starve the rest of the night? Who do you take me for?" he tuts as he opens his own container. He licks his lips before plopping a dumpling in his mouth. You're about to eat your own before you glance down the cliff, letting the poor dumpling drop back inside the box.

Over the cliffside, you could see the dotted lights of Megapolis from afar. Not only that, but the stars above you were as clear as day without a cloud in sight. It felt as though you could just reach your hand out and pluck each one alone. Wukong notices, placing his container and coughing.

"I think you figured out why I brought you up here." he jokes.

"It's so much clearer up here." you said. "Megapolis is great and all, but—"

"The light pollution doesn't give you a view like this, huh?"

"No. It doesn't do some city people justice."

"Well, we aren't 'some people'." he playfully bumps you with his elbow and winks.

You glance at him, then back to the sky. " I'd still count myself as 'some people'."

"How come?"

"I'm still normal… in a way. I still don't have powers. I don't fight as much as the group. I just go to work and hangout whenever I can. When I am involved with monkey business, I tend to be on the sidelines. I'm not as great as—"

"AP-UP-UP! I'm gonna stop you right there." he lays his hand out in a stop motion and puts it back down. "Didn't you tell me that you helped citizens from being trapped in LBD's ice when they were too scared to run away? That's just as great of a job. That takes a lot of bravery."

You set your container down. "Well, that's different. You're powerful and I'm not."

"Anyone can be powerful under circumstances. If this is some kind of negative feeling towards 'destiny', that shouldn't count." he crosses his arms and stares out to the cliffside. "Take it from me. And even if destiny made you powerless, doesn't that mean you retaliate by helping people make you more powerful than destiny itself?"

Your mouth opens before closing. You retort by taking a dumpling from your container and savoring it. Wukong barks a laugh and tosses his own dumpling into his mouth.

"You don't give yourself enough credit with stuff like this." he continued after swallowing. "Do you know how many times MK, Mei, Pigsy—everyone has asked about your wellbeing after a battle? It's the first thing that pops up after a victory. They care about you so much, [Name]. A-And I'm on the same boat, too! Like, I've always wondered, 'How does a person like you not give up in times like this?'. What drives you?"

You swallow your dumpling and contemplate. You look down at Megapolis again.

"I won't be around as long as the others. Our group, they come from a long line of people. They're a part of each other, but me? From what we’ve seen, I’ve got no magic ancestor or a great, great, great, a thousand times-great grandfather.” your finger flips the container’s lid up and down, “The most I can do is leave my name for people. That they'll know me for who I was. Even if my life is 'boring' to those who don't pay attention to what I do, like you guys, I still play my part, just like you said."

Wukong is left staring at you with an open mouth. Then, he chuckles. "You're a lot stronger than I thought you were."

A small smile appears on your lips.

"I'll be here for a long time. I promise to take care of things when you aren't around."

You look back at him. "I know."

The city of Megapolis lies below the mountain, and you remain on top next to Wukong. The rest of the night is spent eating dumplings, sharing your drink, and swapping stories.

…

…You may be wondering: Well, how is this another incident if nothing went wrong?

And the answer to that was: This moment made you realize you had a growing infatuation with Sun Wukong. And, unfortunately, you don't think ignoring him was going to help you any longer.

Maybe this was what he strived for with each leap. A challenge that dared those opposed to him.

Perhaps it was time for you to take on said challenge and find yourself next to him. A silent chase that neither of you know what it will lead to. The only thing you could think of is who would reach it before the other. 

Who would be determined enough to be in pursuit of something greater?

𖦹—TITLE CARD !!!

He watches him gleam a freshly white smile to the dealer who rolls her eyes at him. A minute after, two more patrons come to the table. They seeped confidence from their pores, but the Devil could see right into their souls. Burning hearts that begged for a final win, a stroke of luck that would end with them leaving the casino with cash flowing out of their pockets. What other reason was their to come to a place like this?

The Devil places his hand on the guardrail to looking down at the patrons of his casino. Below the second floor held herds of sheep flocking towards tables and gambling machines. Flies in a spider web who were easily brought in with the promise of gold and fame. Pitiful. Oh, so pitful. He can't help but laugh at it everytime. He already spots a dashing young candlestick toon in a suit, possibly early twenties, sauntering his way up to a lovely red velvet table.

Some wanted to drown their problems with booze. Others came for the glory. Even seemingly innocent souls who came here for a someone to hold—"keep me company" while wearing a ring on their finger. That meant nothing to him. Not when these people were draining themselves and giving their money to them so willingly! Another laugh erupts from his mouth.

"Someone's happy." your voice sounds out next to him. The Devil doesn't acknowledge you for a moment, too busy wiping the tear from his eye.

"Just thinking about all the people down there," he gestures to the people on the first floor, making you peer down as well. "so eager to lose everything for some extra money. Greed has its wonders, doesn't it?"

"Yes, we see it everyday given the fact that we're the owners of this casino, dad."

"I'm the owner of the casino, imp. You're just my extra hand."

He sees grey smoke begin to bellow from your ears, making the man giggle. "WHAT!? After all I've done, I'm still just another lacky to you!?"

"Even after all these years, your reactions never fail to make me laugh."

You huff out your nose, causing smoke to disipate from it. You cross your arms and continue to look down at the first floor, watching the other toons continue to toss dice and drink from shot glasses, laughter booming amongst the crowd. You begin to grow bored, placing your balled fist under your chin.

Your father grins, voice still cheery. "You know, about that cup friend of yours, you really like to talk about him, don't you?" he almost laughs at the sight of your ear twitching.

"Of course. When I'm not busy dealing with morons, I go to him. He's quite the entertainment."

He places his hand to his furry chest. "And you have me to thank for that! Your own personal jester thanks to dear old dad. I deserve an award for that now don't I?"

"I'll see what I can come up with."

"Now, back on the subject… What's your true motive with that disposable object?"

"I like him," you confirmed. "He's such an intriguing guy. I love the way he acts, his impulsiveness, how he looks…"

Your father gags and sticks his tongue out. "I thought I raised you to have better standards."

"Didn't you and King Dice—"

"You wouldn't." a spit of fire seeps from the corner of his mouth. This time you bark your own laugh. Below the rail, your father sees many of his patrons flinch at the sound, some even looking up at you before flinching, looking back down to mind their own business.

His frown turns into a sharp smile as you continue.

"I just like the way he acts. It's nice to get a reaction out of him, see what makes him tick. Speaking of… where is…" you trail off and lean over to rail to look for the man of the hour.

"You seem to have a very good impression here, imp," he pushes his finger down and turns your direction towards Candlestick. "Look down there by the Blackjack table—that stupid looking candle. Tell me, what do you see?"

You're made to watch the three patrons and dealer begin to speak to each other. What goes from a minor disagreement turns into everyone against Candlestick, who brings his arms to his torso as an act of defense. His right hand rubs the sleeve of his left arm in the process, and you see a sliver of white fall inside his black suit.

He's cheating, you realized. "Haven't seen anyone pull that since I was a kid."

"And here I thought no one would be stupid enough to do it. That's about to change… After all, I didn't bring up the topic of that cup for nothing. I've heard many times about your little friend seemingly at your beck and call. You may have told me stories about him, but I want to see it up close, so show me," he dares, voice rumbling, "Show me that you've trained your dog to bite."

He then turns your head towards another table. Cuphead stands there with his hands behind his back, staring down at the silver ball spinning in the Roulette wheel. The patrons surrounding the table are peering down at it with hunger while Cuphead just stands in place with blank eyes. Of course sadness reeks from him, but there's another emotion that catches your attention: boredom.

And you had the perfect cure for it.

Cuphead remains idle and watches the patrons place their chips on the table. Two of them are staring at each other like strays fighting for a piece of rotten meat. It's funny and annoying at the same time. Poor folks acting rich as though they owned the casino themselves. They couldn't even afford the red carpet that covered its floors. He bets their pockets held enough money for rent money and nothing more. He has to fight the urge to click his tongue, a practiced pokerface remaining on his face.

The sudden change of temperature behind him is what breaks it. The strays in front of him look up behind him, and Cuphead watches as instinct takes over, dotted pupils shrinking. The patrons around the table scoop up their money from the table and run like headless chickens, yelping apologies into the air.

Cuphead was instantly alerted, whipping around to see you floating above him. His face morphs into a half-lidded look with very little aggression. "You just costed you and your pops some money."

"A few thousand dollars can be forgiven." you inch down to his height, feet still above the ground. "I wanted to see my favorite decorative dish. You seem so bored… so unhappy."

"I am having a grand ol' time, thank you." the two of you hear the ball come to a stop and look at the wheel. Number eight. Cuphead directs his hand to it. "There goes twelve-thousand."

"Twelve-thousand means nothing to an immortal like me."

"I thought you were all about materialistic things."

"I am, when they mean something to me." you flick the straw in his head, causing it to spin around. Cuphead gives an irritated look before stopping the straw with his hand.

"What do you want?" he demands.

"Oooh, what's with THAT tone? That's new, but I digress. I have a favor to ask of you." you pretend to think, tapping your pointer finger to your chin. "No, a task."

"Oh, great. What now, your highness?"

Your hand cups under his chin and turns him to the Blackjack table. Candlestick is now yelling at the two other patrons, pointing at them accusingly as he carries bundles of cash in his right arm. The top of Candlestick's head had been lit, partially melting wax down to his chin. He looked nothing more than a mess.

"What made him lose his fuse?"

"Our dear Candlestick thought he could win a game with a trick up his sleeve." you watch the dealer tug at Candlestick's left hand to reveal the card in his sleeve. He immediately tugs it back, now pointing at the woman. "We rarely get those kinds of people anymore, but it's always such a treat for when they come around."

"Isn't cheating super common in a casino?"

"Mhm. I would've let him go if I were watching over the place today," you lean closer to the side of his head, leveling your voice to a whisper, "but my father is watching from the balcony, and he doesn't favor cheating as much as I do. You and I both know this."

You feel him swallow. "So what do you need me to do?"

You smile. "I want you… to get him for me. Doesn't matter how you do it. If he puts up a fight, you're free to inflict as much harm as needed to send the message home."

"And if I let him go?" Cuphead feels your thumb repeatedly stroke up and down the underside of his face.

"I'll be very disapointed." your touch is stripped away as you float back up and shrug. Your voice is suddenly cheerful. "But to each their own! I really do think you can pull this off, however. I could've asked your brother, Mugman, but he's, well… unstable—"

"My brother is not unstable!"

"Oh, well with that way you put it, you make it seem like I'm saying it as a bad thing! No, no, no! I'd just prefer if Candlestick could talk to me without a broken jaw, meum carus. If it makes it feel any better, you're also an unstable individual. One that I favor the most."

"I…" he glances back at Candlestick, then back to you.

"Do me this one thing and maybe there will be a favorable reward in the end."

He clenches his gloved hands. "…What do you need me to do?"

Your eyes drift behind the porcelain cup; Candlestick is already pushing another loyal customer while he books it towards the gambling machines, most likely guiding himself to the casino's emergency doors. You slowly drift your attention back to Cuphead, whose stance is tense and ready for action. For a moment, he swears he saw your eyes glow as you looked down at him.

Candlestick grunts as he's dropped onto the stone floor. Cuphead stands above him, panting as he looks up at you. You sit on your throne casually, blinking in surprise as you process the two men before you.

"HA! Well, I'll be!" your flames teleport you near them. You hear Candlestick whimper at the heat of your fire. You duck down and grab Candlestick's face with your hand, turning his head side to side. You take in the harsh bruising and dried wax melt. "You really didn't hold back? I'm impressed."

"I did."

You whip your head up at him. "THIS is you holding back?" you gleam a sharp toothed smile, "I can't imagine what you unleashing that kind of strength would look like! Then again, father had told me stories about it, but I doubt it's as impressive as seeing the real deal." you drop Candlestick from your hold, making his head hit the ground. You raise back up and clap your hands.

"W-What… What are you doing…?" Candlestick feels himself being lifted in the air. Two winged imps are carrying his body up and begin taking him away.

"I'm far too busy to deal with you at the moment, but my father is free." you say. Candlestick's eyes widen, and he immediately tries to untangle himself from the rope. It's useless, merely wriggling his body in the hold of your servants.

"Nonononono! NO! YOU CAN'T DO THIS, PLEASE!" his voice grows distant before being silenced by your doors shutting.

"Come on, you'll need to change out of your uniform. It has blood on it. You look like a mess." you tug at the sleeve of his upper arm. "Actually, you just look like a mess overall."

"Hey—what the hell? Rude!" he grunts and follows you out of your quarters. "You said to hurt'em to send the message home, so don't be surprised when I come back looking dirty."

"It's just business standards, no need to be upset, meum carus."

You hear him let out a long sigh. It's exacerbated yet fulfilling to your sentence. You were positive that the given nickname was something that gave him that extra flare.

"What's gonna happen to him?" Cuphead asks.

"He'll be tortured."

Straight to the point. "Anything else besides torture?"

"Now that would just spoil the fun, wouldn't it?"

The two of you finally make it to the elevator. How this thing still manages to keep itself and its shutter gates in tact is still a mystery Cuphead couldn't decipher. But he doesn't question it, making his way inside with you in tow. You press the button to bring you back up to the casino. Again, he doesn't try to question the fact that you were in the negative level of the casino—all logic had been thrown away years ago anyway, being a toon—so he stands to the right side of the elevator and you stand on the left. Together. Alone. In an old, rusty elevator.

Fun times all around, ladies and gentlemen, Cuphead thinks. He decides to sneak a glance at you to see what you were doing. You weren't floating in the air as you usually were, standing on your own two feet. With no elevator music, your pointer finger was idly tapping against the side of your leg to pass the time. You seem so unbothered, almost bored like he was earlier.

"You mentioned a reward earlier, didn't you?" Cuphead raised a brow in interest. You hum at his inquiry, looking at him with a smile.

"I thought my presence was rewarding enough."

"I see you almost everyday."

"I spoil you too much." you pretend to sigh. "But yes, I did mention a reward, so…" you lift your palm up to him and allow fire to engulf it. When it dies out, a stack of money takes its place, and you extend it to the mercenary.

"What the f—" he snags the money from you and turns it on all of its sides. "This CAN'T be real."

"As real as it gets, meum carus." you almost laugh at the excitement laced under his disbelief. He's still inspecting the money as if it would burst into flames in his grasp, even going as far as to sniff it. He seems to realize what he's done, coughing into his free hand to calm down. You could still see the euphoria in his soul.

"You're really giving me this?" he's careful to ask. He's almost prepared to extend the stack back to you, to which you push it back to him.

"It's the least I could do. I know my father barely pays you two pocket lint, so don't say I don't do anything for you. Buy yourself something sweet. Induldge a little in this lifetime. After all, you've only got one."

Cuphead is oddly silent, then faints out a quick, "Sure." as he pockets the money in his right. He even pats the side he had deposited in, assuring himself that it was real. Besides the rumbling sound of its external mechanics, the elevator ride continues in silence. You peak at the rising number on the elevator screen.

"I still don't understand you." Cuphead speaks up.

"Why?"

"Because you're literally the Devil's kid. Mugman says you're just buttering me up and I believe that..."

"Buuuut?"

"…But, do you really believe in me? That I can be more if I just stopped holding back?"

You slowly blink at him a few times, then look back to the elevator doors, placing your hands behind your back. "If you would stop holding yourself back so much, you'd really see how much power you hold. People fear me because I'm the Devil's direct descendant. They know what kind of power I hold because I come from him. I'm starting to see people fear you and your brother more—'the Collectors'. I hear the trembles of their hearts."

"It's always been that way ever since we were little. Nothing new."

"No, this is new. I can feel it. I can't exactly pinpoint it, but I know something new brews within. I guess only time will tell."

You feel his eyes glance towards you. "Would you be so kind to tell me once you figure it out?"

You cross your fingers behind you. "Yes."

His eyes avert. "…Okay."

You smile. "You know me?"

"Not well enough."

The elevator dings.

It opens its doors and shutter gate, allowing Cuphead to walk out. As the gate closes, you move to the middle to watch him through the opening. For a split second, you see him turn to face you before it fully shuts its doors. You press one of the negative buttons to lead you back down. Now, to deal with Candlestick.

Consider him a proper gift, dad.

𖦹—Notice how Reader writes their demands as "wants" and Cuphead instantly translates them as "needs" because a part of him knows that Reader's kindness is just a rouse? :3

One moment you’re falling towards the floor and the next you’re inside a dimly lit room with a large fishtank in the middle. The light inside the tank was enough to shadow the ripples of water onto the grey walls. Upon the wall was a banner reading ‘Loser Corner’, and right below it was the other members… 

wearing cat ears, tails, and painted noses with whiskers. Everyone’s hands were curled in a pawing motion except for Gangle, who held a black marker in her hand.

“Oh. Okay.” you mumbled. 

You never thought you would seize the day where Zooble had a painted triangle nose in the middle of their face. Gangle wiggles the marker in her hand. Zooble notices this, then gives you a clear look of, ‘Either join in or politely decline’. Despite their attempt, their squint was daring you to do anything to piss them off. Sure, peer pressure the newest member of the loser’s club, that’ll get you to agree in whatever the hell was going on.

Ragatha waves you over. “Come on, It’s… actually pretty fun!”

“You guys have been in the loser’s corner roleplaying as cats for how long?” your eyebrow arches up.

“For a good while. I’d say,” Kinger looks down at his wrist, “a solid ten minutes. Then Gangle came along, then Zooble.”

“I can see that.”

It’s quiet for a moment. Then, Zooble tilts their head. “What happened to you?”

“What? Oh, yeah—got shot.” you shrugged off.

“By who?”

“Why does it matter?”

“It shouldn’t matter.”

“Then don’t worry about it.”

“I’m… not? I was just asking.” they squint at you again. “Guessing Jax backstabbed you.” they sounded so sure of themselves

“‘Backstabbed’?” you laugh. “Zooble, It was a shooting competition, of course I was gonna get shot. You guys had partners anyway, so they had to take out the big fish first.” you cross your arms and roll your eyes.

“And leave you for last? That HAD to be on purpose.”

“O-kay, let’s calm down,” Ragatha shuffles close to you, “We’re all here until Pomni or Jax win this round, so let’s just get along with each other in the meantime.”

“So, what—we’re buddy-buddy up until we leave the loser’s corner? Then what, ragdoll?” you square up. “You expect me to bake cookies and make friendship bracelets once we’re out?”

“Woah, hey, that’s not what I said!” Ragatha surrenders.

“It’s always a double-edged sword when it comes to you. You’re nice to me at one point, then you don’t wanna be around.”

“Look who’s talking!” Ragatha’s eyes widen, covering her hands with her mouth. A delayed laugh comes from you, making her look away in guilt. “I didn’t… I didn’t mean that…”

You stare her down.

Ragatha’s mouth slightly wobbles. “I didn’t mean that.”

Zooble stands in front of Ragatha. “If you’re gonna be angry, then at least direct it at the right person.”.

Almost as if exiting a trance, your vision no longer remained pinpointed on Ragatha. The moment Zooble enters your view, you take a step back, allowing Kinger and Gangle to appear from the weird tunnel vision. Gangle’s mask was still intact but expressed discomfort. For once, Kinger’s eyes weren’t the unfocused blues that you’ve grown used to, already looking at you with an uncanny amount of sympathy. That’s not how he’s supposed to act, your mind repeated.

You almost roll your eyes again. Great, now I’m thinking like him. Archetype Stairway to Heaven, here I come.

You laugh mockingly, surrendering yourself this time. “Alright, you may be right about me being a little upset with a certain purple rabbit.” you pinch your fingers together.

“Then why are you mad at us?” Kinger asks.

“I’m frustrated. Big difference, wack j—Kinger.” you walk off to the built-in seats of the room to sit down. You sort of wished you were killed off earlier, let alone inside this room. At least the dramatic lighting would have distracted you for a good while before anyone else arrived. You probably looked like a brooding idiot to them at the moment.

Why couldn’t you be quiet this one time? They were probably having their very odd way of fun before you showed up. Now here you were, acting like a jackass, and for what? It’s what Jax would have done, then you would come in and comfort them for a short while before heading off with him. 

You facepalm. No wonder. Am I an idiot or what? Do my surroundings just suddenly wash away when I’m with him?

“I don’t… really like Jax,” Gangle’s voice snaps you back into reality. The others look just as surprised at her sudden, hushed confession breaking the awkward fog of the room.

“Oh, wow, didn’t see that coming,” you quipped. “Harsh, but I can see why you don’t. Why none of you do.”

The shy woman walks up to you and sits on your right side. “If I’m really being harsh, then it shouldn’t come as a surprise that I don’t like you, too,”

Ragatha freezes up. “Gangle...”

“I know. It’s mean. And it’s probably not what you expect because you protect me sometimes…” she fiddles with the marker in her hands, “but you’re no better. But at the same time, I want to be friends with you. I just don’t know who you are sometimes. I wish I did.”

That left you staring, heart still. 

Then, Ragatha spoke up.

“You’re never really sorry about these kinds of things,” Ragatha says, her hands cradled to her figure, “I can always hear you laughing under your breath. Why do you still defend me in the first place?”

“I… I-I just…”

“Jax is one thing, but you’re another,” Zooble adds, “It wasn’t fun when he came after you, was it?”

You felt your face flush. Fuck, man. Was I really that bad? 

The way they all looked at you was almost like a form of betrayal on their part. They didn’t scream at you, yet it hit harder than what you expected. A lump had formed in your throat, making you swallow.

“I should assume a ‘sorry’ won’t make things better, huh?” you mumble.

Gangle stares at you. You could hear the plastic shell of the marker squeeze in her hold. Not a single tear appears on her mask. “It won’t.”

“The least you could do is make up for it,” Kinger says. It’s oddly smooth and empathetic compared to the others. “You can be better than before. It may not change things, but it can’t hurt to try.”

As uncomfortable as him speaking sensibly made you feel, you looked up at the chess piece. “Since when were you wise and able to make conversation?” it still comes out a little rude, but he’s able to take the remark as a genuine question, to which he shrugs, giving a small chuckle.

“I’m not as wise as everyone likes to claim.” 

Despite the lack of a mouth, it was easy to realize he was smiling at you. You could almost imagine a sort of grandpa smile—how you came up with that, you were unsure—almost parental. It was nice having someone believe in you despite everything. It was almost unfair. Not like Kinger could remember much of what you did or said. Or maybe he did,  just a silent watcher around everyone. Either way, he definitely knew more than anyone else given his time here.

…Somehow, if the oldest member of the group can put that much faith in your change, then maybe you could believe it yourself. It sounds so childish yet profound, making you feel more of an idiot.

You take the marker from Gangle’s hands. Uncapping the top, you quickly draw a triangle on the middle of your face and fill it in, half-hazardly adding three streaks to both sides of your face. You cap the black marker again and use it to point at everyone.

“If ANY of you tell Jax about this, I’ll make this place like hell for you all.”

Zooble scoffs. “Relax. Your secret is safe with us… Now put these on.” they lift up a pair of cat ears and a tail. Gangle giggles.

You slowly inhale in shame. Why couldn’t I just… win?

It’s a blur up until you and the members make your way to the theater. Thank god you weren’t teleported instantly because you were given the chance to wash your face and rip those cat accessories off. That kind of embarrassment would make you wish you had abstracted during the ceremony. But you press on, shoving the moment far down into the corner of your brain as you walk down into the seating area.

“Make room for one more!” you called out to Pomni and Ragatha. You shuffle in front of them, sitting between the ragdoll and Kinger. Behind you held Gangle and Zooble. Of course, the rest of the theater was filled with NPC mannequins.

You don’t care to pay attention to the ceremony itself because, come on, it was all for Caine at the end of the day. Requesting votes for the ceremony was just some phony hype for everyone besides him. The fact that he and Bubble forced you all to make videos as to why you should be voted for just to add flair to the imaginary audience was almost comical. You would have fallen for it if it were your first day here.

Not that you didn’t at least try to convince said audience to vote for you, but in the end, it didn’t really matter.

“And the award for Biggest Sailor Mouth goes to… Zooble!” Caine directs the spotlight towards them, slumped down in their seat with the familiar stupid sauce weeping out their left eye. 

You look away and snort. 

“This award goes out to a member of the circus who is the Most Indecisive of their group. The votes are in and they speak the harsh truth! The award for the Most Indecisive is...”

Oh, CLEARLY it’s gonna be—

“[NAME]! Connngratulaions!” Caine cheers, the sound of clapping growing loud.

…Ragatha.

Ragatha. It was supposed to be Ragatha.

“Oh, whatever!” you flip your hand dismissively. You slouch in your seat, snooty.

Ragatha attempts to reach her hand out but backtracks when you side-eye her. She lays back in her seat.

Kinger pats your head. “Don’t worry, [Name]. There’s always next year.”

“Wh…”

“Alright, folks, it’s now the moment you’ve all been waiting for… the award for Favorite Character!” Caine extends a piece of paper in his left hand. “Bubble, give me a drum roll.” he requests, followed by the bubble opening his mouth and sounding out an actual snare drum.

“And the award for the Favorite Character goes to… why, it’s me, everyone!” he twirls up in the air to the spotlight shining above him.

His eyes then straighten back out onto the paper. 

“Oh, wait, I misread that.” his voice flattened. “It’s Ming.” 

Ming then walks next to Caine on the center stage. “You shouldn't have assumed you won the award. Now we both look foolish.”

A single cough rings through the theater.

“SHOW’S OVER! GOODNIGHT!” Caine projects. He snaps his fingers and you’re all teleported back to the main area’s stage. Everyone successfully lands on their feet while Zooble belly flops onto the floor. Gangle holds her hands near her mouth, then ducks down to take their right arm over her shoulder.

“Come on, Zooble, let’s get you up.” she smiles. Zooble continues to blabber to the ribbon as they’re picked from the ground. It takes a moment for the two to stabilize each other, Gangle carefully guiding Zooble off the stage to take them back to their room. Kinger already finds himself making his way to his pillow fort.

“Well, would you look at that? Zooble’s gone off the deep end.” Jax leans his elbow on your shoulder. You shrug his elbow off and glare at him. He laughs and crosses his arms. “Hehe, what’s with that look?”

You hesitate. “I’m still… thinking.”

“About what? What’s there to even think about, number one?”

Bafflement takes over. 

“Haha, you know…” you reluctantly encouraged. Jax arches a brow. You frown. “You… You can’t be serious.”

Did he really move on that quickly? There’s no way.

“Jeez, whatever made you this upset shouldn’t be on me. Your anger is misdirected, my friend.” he says.

You stand beside him like a lost deer. 

Holy shit. He really was doing this? To you of all people. And he even had the decency to acknowledge what was wrong—or was this another trick question? Why the hell did you have to be the one to guess it? Never a straight answer when it comes to stuff like this.

Unbelievable.

Un-fucking-believable.

You find yourself hopping off the stage without saying a word. Jax and two members watch from above as you drag yourself back down to the main area.

“Heh. They’re so dramatic.” he sighs out happily, finally hopping off the stage.

That left Pomni and Ragatha behind as witnesses. It’s rightfully silent between them, watching the other members make their way towards the direction of the stairway to the rooms. The only acknowledgement towards each other is a look of worry and doubt, Ragatha, especially.

This is fine, Ragatha thinks as her feet land on the tile floor. You just need some time for yourself. 

“Did something happen when they ‘died’?” Pomni asked. Ragatha laughs nervously.

“K-Kinda, but I think we had a chat about it and things should be fine!” she finger-guns the jester. “Hah… It should be…” 

The two continue to watch your figure shrink away. Surely things will be okay afterwards.

“Are you sure?” Pomni prods.

Ragatha’s smile disappears. She knows something happened. This sudden feud between you and Jax didn’t just come out of nowhere, that much is obvious. This was starting to feel too familiar. At the same time, who knows what will happen if she tries to step in. If she can even step in. Her plush hand grips the side of her dress.

“They’ll come around. They have to.” she says.