Fusion 2.0

Chapter 32. A Walk Though Pain

Mk walked back with Wukong's tail wrapped around his wrist, silently crying as his tears fell to the ground. Wukong, walking beside him, could hear the soft sobs. He glanced down at Mk, trying to find the right words to say, but it had been centuries since he had comforted anyone. "Look, kid, be lucky it ended this way. Trust me, it could have been much worse," Wukong said, his voice trying to carry reassurance.

Mk looked up at his mentor, his eyes still wet. "How... How do you know?" Mk asked, his voice trembling.

Wukong kept his gaze fixed on the house in the distance as he spoke. "Fusion was an everyday thing for gems, but sometimes, gems got addicted to being with someone, fused for too long. Mei's original gem was Ao Lie. He fused with a lower gem and got addicted to it. But the other dragons, along with his father, forced them to unfuse. They shattered the lower gem, and after that, the Jade Emperor banned fusions altogether. But me and Macaque... we didn’t care," Wukong explained, his tone laced with old memories.

Mk's eyes went wide as he took in the story. "Oh, is that why Ao Lie joined the rebellion?" he asked, trying to piece together the history he had only heard fragments of.

Wukong let out a snicker, flicking his wrist in a dismissive, joking way. "Oh no, he just wanted to help make the empire better. But..." Wukong's voice trailed off, the lightness fading as he stopped mid-sentence.

Wukong coughed into his hand, trying to cover up the sudden shift in mood. "Anyway, kiddo, c'mon. We have to celebrate," Wukong said, redirecting the conversation as they finally reached the town.

Everyone was dancing and celebrating, the air filled with joy and laughter. Mk put on his fakest smile and joined the party, though his heart wasn’t in it. Wukong, closing the door behind him, leaned against the wall, observing the festivities from a distance. The celebration continued late into the night, lasting until 2 in the morning. Mei eventually fell asleep on the couch, and Mk, exhausted, passed out on the floor.

"Hey, Bloodstone, I have a request," Wukong said as he approached Pigsy and Tang, who weren’t fused at the moment.

Pigsy, always quick to irritation, responded with a huff. "I, you are aware me and Tang aren't fused right?" he asked, his tone sharp.

"Yeah, but it's clear I'm talking to both of you," Wukong replied, his usual nonchalant tone in place as his tail reached up to retrieve his staff from his hair.

Tang, curious, asked, "What's your request, Monkey King?"

Wukong was casually scratching his back with his staff as he spoke. "Look, I'm going to need to borrow the kid. He needs to unlock his true power. Don’t worry, I'll send him back on the weekends. And Macaque will be around somewhere," Wukong said, placing his staff back in his hair with a flick of his tail.

Pigsy sighed, rubbing his temples. "Just make sure he’s happy and doesn’t end up shattered," he said, his concern for Mk clear in his voice.

Wukong nodded, lying down on the kitchen counter, his tail swinging lazily off the side. As he made himself comfortable, Sandy burst through the front door, causing it to slam against the wall. No one reacted much—Mei and Mk were asleep, and Wukong was simply being Wukong.

"Hey, have you guys seen Mo?" Sandy asked, his voice booming through the room.

Sandy looked around the living room, then checked the kitchen, which was connected to the living room by the counter Wukong was lying on. Mo, the blue cat, was clawing and biting at the tip of Wukong's fluffy orange monkey tail.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Mr. Monkey King," Sandy apologized, reaching for Mo.

Wukong raised an eyebrow as he lifted his tail to see the blue cat. "Oh, this yours?" Wukong asked, slightly amused.

Sandy quickly grabbed Mo, cradling him in his arms. "Yes, I am again sorry," Sandy said, his voice full of sincerity.

Wukong flicked his wrist in a carefree manner, dismissing Sandy’s concern. Sandy, relieved, left the house with Mo in his hands.

Morning came, and Mk woke up to find Mei already awake, engrossed in a video game. He got up from the floor and sat beside her. "Oh hey, kiddo, pack some bags. You're coming with me," Wukong said as he jumped off the counter with a backflip, landing gracefully.

Mk raised an eyebrow, puzzled. "What? Why?" he asked, not understanding the sudden change in plans.

Wukong stretched his limbs, preparing for the day. "You need a distraction, and you need to get connected to your true power," Wukong explained.

Mk sighed, realizing he didn’t have much choice. He headed to his room to pack some clothes, returning with a noodle-themed backpack full of essentials.

"Alrighty, ready to leave, bud?" Wukong asked, sensing Mk’s hesitation.

"Just one second," Mk said, pausing. Wukong nodded, giving him the moment he needed.

Mk walked up to Mei, who was too engrossed in her game to notice anything around her. Mk hugged her tightly, catching her off guard. She struggled to escape his grasp. "MK, YOU'RE RUINING MY GAME!" Mei yelled, frustrated as Mk hugged her even tighter.

"I'll miss you too," Mk said with a bittersweet smile as the game over sound played in the background. He finally let go of Mei and began packing up the games and the console.

"You’re just jealous I have a higher score," Mei said, pouting as Mk walked back to Wukong. They both stepped onto the teleportation pads, and in a flash of blue light, they were gone.

(This took 955 words)