Seeing Through the Trauma

Widened Cracks (45)

"Hey, don't listen to that nonsense, MK. He doesn't know what he's talking about. Red Son was a fluke. You're gonna be fine." Baba dismissed easily, voice casual in a way that MK found flippant half of the time and reassuring the other half. This time it was the former. 

"What if- what if he's right though? What if I only get more and more powerful and I keep having magic outbursts and I hurt someone or- or-" Wukong's hands tightened around his shoulder, a firm weight that cut MK's stuttering off and forced him to look at Wukong's serious expression.    

"That's not gonna happen, okay? I won't let it." He promised, tone sturdy and absolute and MK wanted to believe him if only to quell the sick anxiousness overwhelming his stomach.   

"How- how do you know?" His voice came out small and desperate for reassurance that Baba was happy to give, his face brightening into a comforting smile.  

"Cause I'm the Monkey King of course! Besides, even if it was true Red Son ended up fine so you'll be fine. We can just seal away some of your power or something if you really did lose control." Ignoring what Nezha had said about that MK nodded hesitantly, wanting to believe him because it was easier than believing he was going to lose control like the monster the ink demon said he was.

"O-okay. Promise you'll make sure I don't hurt anyone if I do mess up?" He asked softly and Baba's eyes went uncomfortably wide and rigid before he relaxed his body purposefully, reaching his hand up to gently smooth out the top of MK's hair. 

"Course I will cub, nothing to worry about with me around. And hey, you're doing fine so nothing's going to happen anyway. It's just a minor control issue, nothing to worry about. Everyone struggles with their powers when they're learning." Wukong said casually but MK didn't think that was true. 

Wukong had never accidentally hurt someone with his powers as far as MK was aware. If he had, it wasn't in any of the stories.

"Did any of you?" He asked, glancing at the trio who each shook their heads much to his disappointment, except Macaque who looked sheepish at the question.

Wukong grinned a little like he was remembering something, and Macaque crossed his arms with an exasperated sigh, quickly explaining before Wukong could. 

"When I was younger I had some trouble with my powers. A lot of my powers are harder to control, temperamental, so until I got the hang of them they were a little inconsistent. I may have annoyed Wukong a couple of times and dropped him in the ocean a few more, but it's not like it hurt him." He said, glancing MK up and down. 

"You don't seem to be having problems with the powers you've inherited from me though." He pointed out and while Wukong pouted at that MK just nodded. 

"Only cause he hasn't used any of your big ones yet," Wukong mumbled pettily under his breath but MK's ears all caught every word, eyes widening and mouth opening with questions as Macaque sharply elbowed Wukong. 

"Wait which-"

"That's true. So far it's only your laser eyes you're having problems with, which are Wukong's most powerful ability. Hence why he doesn't use them." Nezha interrupted factually and MK frowned.    

"Even then I think yours might end up being more powerful than his since you're still growing in power as you age and practice." The prince continued and MK listened, a sense of dread foreboding in the bottom of his stomach the longer Nezha talked until suddenly the other went silent, his eyebrows creasing while everyone around him tensed and went on guard for hidden threats. 

"Wait, something's...wrong. The Jade Emperor's power- it's on the move." Nezha said, eyes scrunching closed in concentration before flinging open again widely.