Not Your Romeo and Juliet

Chapter 9

My whole body ached when I woke up on hard floor. Concrete? Tile? I don't know but it was hard and rough, uncomfortable. I felt something wrapped around me, and soon came to realize it was my tail.

I groan, rolling onto my back painfully. There is an unfamiliar ceiling above me, paint chipping off just about everywhere. It was like that on the walls too, but one of the walls wasn't even a wall.

Bars. Thick metal bars.

I sit up immediately, my tail unwrapping from me. Across from this cell was another, far away on the other wall. Someone was obviously curled up in the corner. My vision was blurry, and my golden eyes weren't  working at all, only flashing on and off. It was dead silent.

My ears were ringing and I was restless, my eyes struggling to stay open. I know now I was still in DBK's fortress, in a cell somewhere? Dungeon? I have no idea.

I only just now started panicking, my breath hitching as everything came to me. I was scared, so scared. I didn't like being in this room. It was so small. I need my room, Red's room. I just don't want to be in this room.

I heard shuffling as I struggled to breath, across from me. The curled up figure had sat up and was  standing now, walking towards the bars to their cell. Through watery eyes, I saw now that he was shirtless, hairy, and tall. There was also a tail low behind him, barely moving. He was a blob in my eyes, so I couldn't tell what he exactly looked like.

He was saying something, lowly, and it took me a moment to understand that he was talking to me or even talking at all.

"Hey, Bud. Are you-" he paused, "are you okay?" The voice was familiar, fuzzy but familiar. I had just seen him.

Then it hit me. I scrambled up and almost ran into the bars, my eyes wide as I stared at my mentor.

"Monkey King!"

"Shush!" He immediately rasped, glancing side to side, tail lashing, "Be quiet."

I press my lips together, confused, but I obeyed. I had so many questions and I didn't know what to start with.

"What's happening?" I started, "Where are we?"

Monkey King sighed, "Somewhere in Bull King's fortress I suppose. I don't know what's going on. They never told me anything."

"Why are you not out of here yet? You are more powerful than them, aren't you?!" I know DBK is almost equal in power to my mentor, but it was still up for question since he was in here too.

He plopped down onto the ground, trembling. I notice now he had lashes all over his chest , his fur matted and darker in some spots. Red . Blood. "Kid, they- they have some spell in these cell, I've tried. I promise you. I've been here for a month. Longer maybe. I lost track of time."

My eyes widened and I sit down as well. "But I saw you not too long ago! We- we were training!! You-"

He shakes his head, canceling me out. "That was not me, Mk. Macaque."

My breath hitches, and I look down, suddenly realizing I was shaking, my tail wrapping tightly around my waist to comfort myself. "Macaque...? He- he's been fucking with me for a month...?" I whisper out.

Monkey King shakes his head, lips parting but nothing came out at first. "They want something. I don't know what. It's unclear. But I will get us out of here, I promise you Mk. DBK is foolish, so is Macaque."

He's smiling when I look back up, and realize the disadvantage of being so far apart and having to be quiet. I could hear chuckling, raspy dark chuckling. Macaque had been listening. He showed up out of the shadowy ground in between our cells from barely any lighting in the room, smirking.

"Well, looky here. Two monkies trapped." He gives us one of his 'pity' laughs. "Sad." He lifts up his hand and Monkey King's staff grows to the size of his hand. He grips it and walks over to my cell, clanking the metal bar in front of me with the staff. "Thanks for the staff by the way."

His face is so sinister it disturbs me, yet enraged me. A low growl grumbles in my throat, before it turns to a loud one and I reach in between the bars, claws flexing as I swatted at Macaque with them. It ripped his scarf, but no further. I still try anyway even as he's backed away.

"Bad choice, little monkey." He rests the staff on his shoulder, smirking. He turned into Monkey King, looking so real. It even mimicked his voice. For a whole month I thought he was Monkey King, I let him fool me.

"You are what we wanted, Bud. With tough training, unlike someone's," he snarled, gesturing to the real Monkey King, "You can become so powerful Mk. There is something about you. I know you will surpass your mentors."

My arm finally grows tired, panting as i leant against the bars. I glare at him, snarling. "I will never be as powerful as my mentor."

Macaque laughed and changed back into himself, making the staff small and storing it in one of his ears. "Then tell me this, Mk." He walked back over to me, grabbing ahold of my hair.

I squeak and I hear Monkey King yell at Macaque but I couldn't hear what he said, he went silent after he yelled and I could hear him yell, and not in a good way. Something happened.

I writhe, feeling as something surges through me. It feels powerful. Macaque flinches and pulls away his hand. I stumble back, falling onto my hind.

"Brat." He snarls, clenching his hand into a fist. "Mk, you have stolen powers. I don't know how you are doing this, but it's strange and we need to know."

My eyes widen and I start to tremble, looking down and staring at my hand. "I- I what?"

Macaque looks to me with a dark glare, "You can absorb power. You obviously can't control it. You've stolen my own so many times and I've had to rebuild that power. I thought I'd make a mistake of letting you touch me as Wukong and I reveal myself. I started being cautious."

My eyes glance to Monkey King at the mention of him, he was on the ground, a shadow version of Macaque standing beside him, that sinister purple grin on it's face. Monkey King was writhing in pain, groaning. My eyes start to water and I look to Macaque who had walked closer to me.

He leant down, "I won't hurt you, I will hurt Wukong. He deserves it." Macaque snarls, "Filthy bastard. You know the fucking story." He stands back up, "I only want you. Wukong is just here, powerless. You make a mistake, dishonour me, attack me, anything that will upset me. He will be hurt."

I'm trembling in fear again, looking down to the ground. "Wh- why? You didn't have to trap me in here. I - I don't like it!"

Macaque clicks his tongue in pity. "Oh, Mk, poor thing." He says, not meaning it at all, I can tell. But he still walked over, reaching out his hand. It glowed purple, then the door popped open with a creak. "Breakfast." He grumbled.

I look up, my eyes widening. "Like- out of here?" He stand up, reluctantly walking over to the stern demon.

He's silent till I walk out, shutting the door behind me. It made a loud clang and it scared me half to death, my head flashing around to look at Macaque.

He shakes his head, "No, kid. Here. You aren't going back up there. You made Red Son suffer, you know?" He scoffs, walking away towards a small table, tilting his head for me to follow. I obey, sitting down at a chair. The food didn't look to appeasing but it looked so good to my empty stomach right now. I frown, looking to Macaque standing across from me.

"Red? I- I don't remember... Demon Bull King threw me and I know nothing else after that."

Macaque shakes his head again, "Do not worry. Eat."

I stare at him sorrowfully for a moment then look to Monkey King's limp body trembling on the floor. I feel so bad.

I wish away every worry before I start to eat.