The Tang monk groans at the rough landing his newest kidnapper made, all while carrying him like a cord of wood. Like many of his kidnappers this fiend was fast, easily slipping past Bajie and Wujing before they even could react. Snatching him cleanly off Ao Lie in one easy leap. His world went dark and silent; he felt disconnected from the whole world. Only the feeling of a strong arm pressing him against hard armor keeping him grounded in the dark void. Just as soon as they entered the void they exited, the world around them blooming in sudden levity. The drop was jarring for the poor monk, groaning at the sudden jolt of a tightening arm around his chest before they were launched towards another tree. Squirming he tried to loosen the firm hold, only stilling when his capture hisses sharply. Going limp he gets a huff but the arm does adjust itself to a better grip that doesn’t try to limit his breathing. Now breathing easier he now tries to get a look of his capture but only was able to see the dark red pants and black boots. Turning his head he sees gold armor but one hard landing made him bump roughly, his capture hissing again before changing his grip again. Groaning the Monk grabs what he can to prevent getting knocked again. It was then he realized that his capture was smaller than he was, his fear increased upon realizing this was properly a minion. A low moan comes from the monk as he comes to terms with having to deal with another egotistical demon lord that will only try to eat him. Only to groan when he was suddenly dumped onto the ground.
Sucking in a breath he sits up, his capture walking in front of him for the first time. What was once a red, gold, and black blur was now a familiar sight.
“Don’t run.” The monkey yao warns, tail flicking in recognized agitation as they pass. Staring he studies the new monkey noting the similarities and difference to his own disciple. This one was bulkier then his pupil, fur as black as night that was smooth and flat. Apposed to his disciples wild and untamable hair and wiry frame. His study was broken when a clay bowl was shoved into his hands, startling the poor human.
“Eat.” Was his only answer to his open confusion as the monkey walks away circling the area, looking from the bowl of nuts and roots to his capture the Monk puzzles over the oddity of the situation he found himself in. Looking around he realizes he was in a camp, a small fire pit was dug up with logs set up nearby. Looking back at his capture he recognized what he was doing, he was patrolling the boundaries of the camp. Head tipped in a similar way to his disciple when listening. Looking back down at the bowl he slowly sets it down, only to freeze as his capture snaps their head towards him. Blazing golden eyes looking at the bowl then at him, it was then that the Monk realized that the glowing red of his monkey was properly not normal.
“Why are you not eating?”
“Ah.” The monk stammers, going pale as the black monkey approaches.
He flinches when a black clawed hand reaches towards him but instead of being roughly grabbed the hand dug into the bowl pulling out a handful before the monkey shoves the handful into its mouth. “Not poisoned. Eat.” He says shortly.
“I’m not hungry.”
“It’s been four hours since you ate.” The monkey states sending a shiver down the monk’s spine.
How long was this fiend watching them, how did no one notice? He stammers again but his capture turns away, tail curling as they look towards where they came from.
“He’s coming.” The monkey’s voice was calm, but spending years with his monkey disple he could recognize that eager tail wag.
The monk only has a few seconds to prepar before the familiar sound of his disciples approach could be heard. Wu’kong lands heavily in the small clearing, the ground denting under him as he stares intently at the other monkey teeth bared face marks flared to lively red and blue. Surprisingly the other monkey did not stand his ground in front of the monk or flee. Instead, he spun on his heel, turning his back to the golden monkey to instead give the bowl back to the monk before circling to be behind the monk.
“What are you doing?” His disciples brow furrows but he loosens his stance head tipping.
“I gave him food and made shelter.” The monkey behind him states.
The monk watches Wu’kong look around, watching in real time the war markings that only appear when his disciples was angered slowly fade to only show his peachy pink face mask. Confusion continue to nag at the monk, something was happening that he couldn’t make sense of. His monkey slowly enters the camp, circling the camp once before approaching him for the first time.
“You’re not hurt?” Wu’kong asks, eyes blazing as he looks the monk over.
“I am not.”
“Mmh.” Wu’kong looks at the monkey standing behind him, “Okay.”
The monk blinks, brain coming to a halt. “What?”
He stares at his student who turns away, cloud appearing. Looking back at his kidnapper the other monkey seems pleased tail wagging lightly before they turn away as well leaving the monk to start making a fire. Looking between the monkeys the monk scrambles to find a solution a reasoning of the sudden change in his student. He was ready for the usual fiasco of his kidnapping but now? His student is abandoning him without a fight?
“Excuse me?” The monk stands up, voice halting his student. “Where are you going?”
The monkey turns head tipping in confusion, “Going to get the others?”
The response stumped the monk, “Why?”
“We have shelter for the night. Don’t worry Liu’er will keep you safe until I get back.” His student says reassuringly.
Opening and closing his mouth the monk stumbles over his words, the name familiar but strange coming from his student. He looks back at his kidnapper who had successfully got a small fire going. In his stammering state his student abandons him disappearing over the trees. Standing there with a clay bowl in one hand and trying to get his thoughts in order the monk was at a lost.
“Are you having a problem or do you make it a habit to just stand there?” The deep voice of his kidnapper makes the monk jump, spilling some of the food in the bowl.
“No!” The monk snaps before remembering who he was speaking to, “I mean…” He bends collecting the roots from off the ground. “Who are you?”
The monkey grins, inhuman teeth bared as he straightens, “I am The Six-Eared Macaque. The Spirit Demon King Macaque. The Shadow of the Monkey King.” The monkey boasts.
“You know Wu’kong.” The Monk realizes, startled to find someone that seemed to still have a good relation with his pupil.
The apparent six-eared monkey snorts, “You sound surprised.”
“I.” The monk chokes a bit, “Why did you kidnap me?”
The monkey raises a brow, “To get his attention of course.”
Flattening his mouth the monk asks, “Did you have a death wish? He has killed countless beings for that very reason!”
The Six Eared turns away, “Of course I don’t.” The other scoffs, “That’s why I kidnapped you.”
“What?”
“Eat your food.” Macaque snaps, “You are too thin for a human.”
Sitting the monk looks down at his meal picking at the roots and nuts. The strange monkey wonders around picking up sticks and rocks, before disappearing up a tall tree. The cracking of branches and the rustling of leaves the only indication that he wasn’t left alone.
