Seeing Through the Trauma

Anyone Can Change (34)

Her cool, cold eyes widened upon seeing him, and MK felt frozen in place, heartbeat racing and brain yelling at him to run while his useless legs stayed still. It didn't matter that he'd faced demons and enemies with far greater power than her, standing there made him feel like he was younger all over again, at her mercy and helpless. Unless. Unwanted.

"MK? Seriously you're starting to worry me, what's wrong? What is it?" The voice next to him was nothing more than static in his brain.

Her eyes narrowed, lips pressed into thin lines and then she stood, turning to say something to her daughter MK's useless ears didn't hear a word of, and he watched as she walked through the room, crossing it in what felt like forever and just a second at the same time.

It was only when she got closer that MK's legs finally moved, taking one step backwards and feeling the bar behind him dig into his back, trapping him. 

"Qi Xiaotian, sweety. It's been a while." She said, smiling at him in a way that felt more like a judgment, her eyes racking across his body up and down, and the girl that had followed her in confusion lit up, mouth dropping open as she too stared at MK. 

"I almost didn't recognize you, with how...different you look." She continued, disdain dripping from her words. Or at least it felt that way to MK, maybe because that's what he was used to.

"Oooh, who's this? You know MK?" Mei asked, bouncing by his side and looking far too curious and MK swallowed, his tail coiling around his leg while he lowered his eyes. 

"Know him? Of course we do! I'm Xiaotian's sister, Chao-Xing." The girl said, lips quirked into a smile and he heard Mei gasp. 

"You're one of his foster families?" She asked, but her voice lacked any of the friendliness it had previously contained and was now nothing but a suspicious lilt. MK sucked in a breath, trying to get oxygen back into his lungs and remind himself that things were different now. He was older. 

"That's right. Imagine bumping into you. I've been wondering how you've been since you left." The woman that had once haunted MK's nightmares said, tone softer than he remembered it ever being directed at him and he snapped his gaze up to look at her. 

"You... have?" His confusion was evident.

"Of course! I just felt so bad, I admit I wasn't such a good mother to you, and I wanted to apologize. Chao-Xing's missed you." Missed him? She hated him. 

"You did?" he turned the question on the girl, who nodded with a wide grin, leaning in close. 

"Yeah! Of course I have. We're siblings after all."

"But... I thought you didn't like me?" MK asked, confusion twisting his words and she laughed, shaking her head and slinging an arm around his shoulder. The touch made MK shrink down, shoulders taut like ants were crawling across his body.  

"No! Of course not. All that stuff was just sibling teasing. Anyway, let's catch up somewhere. I've heard you're Monkey King's successor huh? I mean, that's so cool. I didn't really believe it till I saw you on the news but look how different you look now, what's that about?" She asked, poking at his fur curiously and when she got a little too close, fingers reaching toward MK's broken eye, he moved back, ducking his head with an uncomfortable laugh.

"Yep. That's me. A lot different. Lots going on. Lots and lots." He said, tone a touch manic and he cleared his throat, hearing the sound of footsteps. 

"What's goin' on out here? These people botherin' you MK?" Pigsy asked, and MK looked over at him to see him glaring at his foster family.

"Uh, no. It's okay, Pigsy. This is just..."