Try Again (InfiniteHourglass Au)

The True Curse

"Ready, you two?" Tang stood before MK and Macaque, hands held out. Nezha held the scroll forward, eyes trained on the pair.

"We're ready!" MK assured them, frowning softly. Macaque nodded as well, glancing at the golden characters painted against the ebony bamboo.

The scholar brought his staff down, and a golden circle formed around them. Light flooded their eyes, gold burning into their minds. Waking up was easy.

---

"We're here!" MK spoke in awe, looking around the village. Macaque hummed, ears moving slightly. There was suddenly a crash, with a young monkey rushing past them, laughing giddily. MK gasped, "Monkey King?" Macaque shook his head as two humans chased after Wukong, "No, this is a memory."

The humans gave up the chase, panting loudly as Wukong ran back into the foliage surrounding the small homes. MK snickered, "Okay then, where do we go?" Macaque waved his hand, pointing straight ahead.

There was a waterfall, looking completely out of place, as if it was meant for a different location. Familiar foliage was sprouting around it, and MK found its familiar comfort pulling him in.

The pair dove into the cool water, moving onto a different layer of the scroll.

---

Memories came and went, a dizzying display of ups and downs in the Monkey King's long life.

Then they ended up beneath a mountain, chains strung up by magic. Wukong was trapped, head bowed. Macaque winced at the sight, glancing down at MK, "This memory's a bad one, bud. Don't think too much into it." MK nodded at the warning, eyes fixated on his mentor as Macaque's past self appeared into the scene.

The brunette paid attention to each twitch, to each word, to each change in tone. He witnessed the pain each of the pair held, flashing upon their eyes until Macaque's past self finally left. Wukong, ever the petty one, snapped out, before lamely claiming he wanted the peach after all.

"...Man, I guess not being taught manners got y'all headbutting, huh?" Macaque huffed softly, making MK follow him into another memory, "You aren't wrong, bud."

---

Past Wukong picked up scrolls, arranging them neatly. MK felt his eyes widen in panic as a monkey suddenly hooted, holding a sphere above their head. Wukong noticed too late, only having time for his eyes to widen. The sphere was made of clear quartz, and a single topaz hourglass rested inside.

The monkey threw it, and it cracked before the sage's feet.

Macaque hissed as they were blinded, and MK grunted as their location shifted. He gasped, looking around. They were in an ebony abyss, with galaxies floating above their heads. Golden orbs of light bobbed around, and he pointed out the past king, "Macaque, look!"

"We now have the opportunity to offer you a gift... We have seen you suffer, Great Sage. You are not a bad person, so we are offering to send you back to the very day the Demon Bull King was released."

Macaque blinked in surprise, and MK simply plopped down, shock overtaking him. The lights continued to claim their gift upon the startled king, and they listened as the lights presented rules. They sounded familiar.

"...This is his curse." MK whispered, his gaze glued onto his mentor. Macaque had nothing to say, feeling numb. Was this why Wukong was so tired? So paranoid? Is this why he was so hard on himself? Because this was his only second chance?

So many things made sense, and yet so little of his bubbling questions could be answered.

---

It was bizarre, watching him change out almost everything about himself. From his clothes, to his demeanor. It was as if the king was being replaced. And his dreams made them understand more than they ever wished to know.