Retracted Memories //LMK//ShadowPeach//

Chapter 24

(QUICK EXPLANATION: The demon keeps Wukong in a location that took the team a few days of traveling to get to, therefore it'd been a while now- Yes I'm horrible like that- Oh and happiness starts later in this chapter so I'm not all bad I guess.)

Wukong closed his eyes, grimacing. 

The dark room messed up his sense of time along with how often he'd pass out due to his injuries. The only touch he'd receive here was from the servants leading him around, getting cut by the cursed dagger when his powers strengthened, or whenever Feng hurt him.

He ran a pained hand over his arm, trying to ignore the pain and pretend it was MK or Mei. Maybe if he imagined hard enough, his singed hands were Pigsy patting his shoulder, or maybe Sandy ruffling his hair.  Maybe if he listened intently he could hear Tang's stories or Red's excited chattering about a machine he'd made. Maybe if he breathed in deeply enough the smell of flowers, mangos, and plums would present itself to him.

He knew otherwise, but it would've been better than whatever hell he'd been thrown into.

Wukong opened an eye to stare at the heavy door keeping him in. The knob twisted, letting in two servants. The servants apologized softly as they hauled him to his feet and he groaned, maybe if he tried hard enough he could escape to another place in his mind. 

The pain that wracked his body as they walked him along the halls didn't let him forget where he really was.

Feng greeted him, arms outstretched, "Hello, darling! Oh, your clothes are a mess." Wukong was set down on the floor and it took all of his will not to just fold over and merge with the plush carpet below him. "Servants, bring in something for him to wear. My, I didn't realize how filthy you've become!" Wukong simply stared up at him, his throat hurt.

Memories flashed to picnics with the others. Pigsy's noodles, the peaches outside his house, dumplings with MK. He hadn't eaten since he was put in here, especially since he was too weak to create food like he usually did.

Servants swarmed him, gently but quickly changing him. The room spun as he was presented to Feng, "You can bathe later, but for now this'll have to do." Wukong looked down at the white pants and sunny yellow blouse that exposed his shoulders. A red sash wrapped around his waist, tucking in the bottom of the blouse. Wukong carefully reached up and realized that his hair had been combed and the sides were braided with small red ribbons woven into them. 

He wondered if Macaque would've found him pretty despite how beaten he looked.

Feng nodded in approval and grabbed Wukong's hand, harshly pulling him up, "Come on, I know you can get up." Wukong grunted and managed to stay up. Feng hummed thoughtfully, "How pretty. Such a shame your weak body ruins the image." Wukong bit his tongue to keep quiet, he knew better than to talk back by now.

Feng held up a book and smiled, "Do you remember what I said about Europe?" Wukong mutely nodded as Feng flipped open the book, "Well their fairytales were just as grim! In fact, the most famous are books written by 'The Brothers Grimm'! Fascinating." Wukong felt queasy, something was up.

"In one tale, a maiden's step sisters met a gruesome fate. For one, to fit a show they cut off their heels and big toes. Then later their eyes were gouged out by birds." Wukong shifted uncomfortably as Feng moved in closer, "In another, a princess is almost killed by their stepmother multiple times!" The demon ran a finger along Wukong's neck, "One attempt was to strangle her with linen..."

Wukong swallowed hard as his tormentor twirled a braid around his finger before suddenly shoving him harshly against the wall. The injured monkey yelped as he hit the wall before falling onto the floor. Feng threw the book against him, hitting the monkey in the face with the thick book. Wukong hissed in pain as a few burn marks started bleeding lightly from the impact. 

Feng stalked closer, yellow eyes gleaming with pure, sadistic joy, "I want to try something from one tale in particular..." Wukong stared with wide eyes, trembling violently as clawed hands reached forward, "In 'Rumplestiltskin' he meets a gruesome end by tearing himself apart. Of course, without your powers you won't heal from that, so we'll simply do something similar..."

Wukong screwed his eyes shut, awaiting the attack, but instead, a loud crash rang out from the hall. Feng paused and peered up as the doors were knocked open harshly, causing Wukong to flinch back. MK, Red Son, and Mei rushed in with Macaque following close behind. Feng snarled at them before snatching Wukong, "Any closer and he gets it!" 

Macaque was so angry he could've blown up right then and there. With incredible speed the enraged shadow user teleported in front of the demon and sent him flying back, catching his injured partner, "What did YOU DO TO HIM?!" 

MK sent the staff crashing down, disheveling the ground around Feng while Mei rushed forward and fought with the demon. Feng fought back, unsheathing a knife from his waist and blocking the attacks around him. Red Son quickly joined in, cornering the demon with his flames. Sandy, Pigsy, and Tang rushed in, immediately taking charge of Wukong.

Macaque handed him over gently and Wukong reached out for him, whimpering. Macaque's demeanor dropped and he gently brushed some of Wukong's hair away from his face, "I'll be back. Rest." He then turned around, glaring so aggressively it seemed downright feral. 

A blur of shadows, gold, green, and fire merged together, and the demon was quickly losing. Macaque didn't stop when he surrendered. And no one made a move to stop him as he went ballistic on Feng. 

Wukong had been stripped down and cleaned and bandaged the best he could be in their settings. Pigsy growled in pure anger, "What the hell happened to you?" Tang stared intently at the injuries, "He must've used a cursed weapon on him if he's this injured. The bastard." Sandy held the monkey in his arms like he'd carry his cats, he looked angry despite his calm demeanor. 

Wukong reached out a shaky hand towards the others as they walked over to him, but when he tried to speak only a dry croak came out. MK and Mei started to straight up sob as they gently took his now bandaged hand in theirs, "Monkey King, you're going home." Macaque finally joined them, covered in blood, "Let's go. Our work here is done." Wukong whimpered again and reached his other hand out, "Hey, Peaches. You're safe now."

Wukong's breath hitched, sobbing without tears as he was finally taken home.