The Two Kings

On the Run

The Monkey Kids were gathered on the deck of the Dronecopter, huddled against the chill air after escaping the storm. They listened intently as Wukong regaled them with his tale of sneaking into the Celestial Realm, his showdown with the Third Lotus Prince Nezha, and how he procured the scroll. When he finished—ending on the grim note of Lady Bone Demon's victory—Tang, seated cross-legged nearby, broke the silence as he scribbled fervently in his diary.

"And so," Tang began dramatically, "the Lady Bone Demon made her final move. Even with the combined might of the Monkie Kid, the General, and the Monkey King, their efforts were simply not enough. The villain was victorious, plunging the world into darkness."

The Dronecopter shook as it cut through the aftermath of the storm, wind howling against the metal frame. MK stood at the deck's edge, gazing into the distance, silent as Tang continued his narration.

"Now, any chance of hope lies in the hands of a monkey..." Tang paused for emphasis, his quill scratching dramatically, "...and a kid who wishes he was a monkey."

MK groaned, spinning around to glare at him. "Mr. Tang, would you quit it?!"

Tang barely flinched, engrossed in his writing. His diary was suddenly yanked from his hands by Pigsy, who looked ready to lose it.

"You've been reading your diary out loud literally all day!" Pigsy snapped, holding the journal just out of Tang's reach. "You're bummin' everybody out!"

Tang gasped as though Pigsy had personally insulted his soul. "Hey! It's not a diary I'm writing the next chapter! And very well too, I might add." He snatched the journal back, hastily flipping to a random page filled with a cartoonish drawing of himself and Wukong inside a heart.

"Seriously, Tang?" Pigsy groaned, shaking his head.

Meanwhile, Mei was busy wrapping Wukong's head in bandages. He winced dramatically, leaning back against the nearest surface. "Hey, as long as he wrote down that whole bit with me fighting Nezha and getting this bad boy, then we're good." He gestured smugly at the scroll resting nearby.

"Hey, Mei!" Parker shouted from where he stood wringing out his soaked pea coat. "Do me a favor and smack him for me!"

Mei grinned, her hand snapping out to slap Wukong upside the head. "Ow!" Wukong yelped, rubbing his temple. Parker burst out laughing, doubling over against the railing.

"I mean," MK interjected after a moment, "the bit with the omelet thing was pretty cool." He referred to an earlier, slightly ridiculous part of Wukong's tale, the corners of his lips twitching into a reluctant smirk.

"Yeah, right? Totally cool!" Wukong beamed, puffing out his chest. "Okay, gather around, everyone. It's Monkey King story time!"

The group exchanged skeptical looks before obliging, gathering loosely around Wukong. He pulled out the scroll, unfurling it to reveal intricate drawings: a massive fire blazing at the center of the page, with three smaller flames drawn at the corners. The Monkey King winced as he adjusted his posture, still nursing his injuries.

"So," Wukong began, his voice unusually solemn, "I know what happened back there kinda sucked."

"Mega sucked," Mei chimed in, folding her arms as Parker nodded in agreement.

"Mega sucked," Wukong conceded with a sigh. "But the ol' Great Sage always has a trick or two up his sleeve."

At that, Pigsy and Parker both scoffed loudly, sharing a glance of mutual annoyance. Wukong raised a brow, eyeing the pair, but before he could retort, a sudden gust of wind surged through the Dronecopter, jerking the ship violently. The scroll ripped free from Wukong's hands, tumbling into the air.