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❀(⸝⸝•______________•⸝⸝)❀
The steady hum of the Sky Train filled the air, carrying MK, Mei, Sandy, Pigsy, Tang, Y/N, and Wukong through the endless stretch of clouds. The group was exhausted from days of searching, each of them tense from the weight of their mission. MK was fiddling with the rings they had gathered, eyebrows furrowed.
"Wait," he muttered, staring at the golden bands glinting in his palm. "One, two, three... but this doesn't make sense. Tang, didn't you say the Samadhi Fire was split into three rings?"
Tang, who had been scribbling in his notebook with wild excitement, looked up with wide eyes. "Exactly! The great legends clearly state three, not four. There shouldn't be an extra ring—this contradicts centuries of texts!" His voice rose with both awe and fear.
Y/N narrowed her gaze and turned sharply toward Wukong. "You knew about this." Her tone was low, dangerous.
The Monkey King, perched casually on the edge of a seat, arms behind his head, avoided her eyes. His smirk didn't quite reach his face this time. Instead of answering, he looked out the window, the silence between them speaking louder than words. _____✩
"Wukong..." Y/N's voice carried her simmering anger, the kind that came from disappointment more than rage. "Why didn't you say anything?"
Before Wukong could deflect or crack a joke, the entire train lurched violently. Everyone was thrown against the walls and seats as the air filled with the grinding sound of metal. The Sky Train screeched to a halt midair.
"What now?!" Pigsy cried, clutching his noodle cart.
Mei scrambled to the window, eyes widening. "Uh, guys... you're gonna wanna see this."
Outside, cutting through the swirling clouds, were three blazing rings of fire orbiting like celestial weapons. Their glow bathed the train in searing red light, the heat pressing against the glass.
Y/N's breath caught in her throat. She knew that fire. Those rings. That aura. Her heart twisted painfully in her chest.
"No..." she whispered. Her grip tightened on the window frame. Nezha.
The fire parted, and descending with impossible grace came the Third Lotus Prince himself. His armor glinted like molten gold, his spear spinning effortlessly in his hand. His gaze was sharp as blades, and his presence was suffocating. He was here for one reason. ______✭
With a flick of his wrist, Nezha hurled the Fire Rings forward. They struck the train's body, splitting it with terrifying precision. Screams erupted from the passengers.
"Hold on!" Wukong bellowed. In a blur, he summoned his cloud, zipping through the train to push the civilians out of harm's way. He grabbed Pigsy's cart before it fell, shoved Mei and Sandy into safer carriages, and even caught Tang by the back of his robe as he nearly toppled out the window.
At the front of the train, Nezha hovered in the air, fire curling around his form like a living aura. His eyes locked onto Wukong with pure venom.
"Sun Wukong," Nezha spat, his voice carrying across the broken sky. "Still playing the fool, I see."
Wukong grinned and waved lazily, though his eyes flicked to the Fire Rings warily. "Nezha! Long time no see. What, you finally crawled out of the Celestial Realm to hang out with us? Took you long enough."
"Do not mock me." Nezha's grip tightened on his spear. "You've taken what doesn't belong to you. I won't allow you to reforge the Samadhi Fire." ______☾
Tang, still shaking, peeked from behind Mei and gasped. "It's—It's really him! The great Lotus Prince, Nezha! He—he's real! He's right in front of me! I've read about you, I've studied your battles, your legend is—"
"Silence." Nezha's glare snapped to Tang like a whip. "This does not concern mortals."
Tang gulped and quickly hid behind Pigsy.
Nezha turned back, fire still blazing. "I know where the Rings are, Monkey King. I don't need your stolen map. I don't need your lies. The Jade Emperor entrusted me with this power because you failed to guard it." His gaze hardened. "You always fail."
Wukong rolled his eyes. "Oh, come on, I didn't steal anything. Borrowed, sure. And DBK keeping the green ring? That was hardly my fault. Mei, Sandy—you've seen the way that big guy hogs things."
Sandy rubbed his neck awkwardly. "Well... yeah, that does sound like him."
"And hiding the orange ring in a volcano? Real smooth," Nezha snapped. "Even your disciples think it was sloppy."
"Hey!" Wukong barked, glaring when Mei and Sandy hesitated. "...You're supposed to be on my side." _____࿐
But before Wukong could continue sparring with words, Nezha's entire demeanor shifted. His flame dimmed, his expression cracking as his eyes caught sight of a figure at the back of the group.
Y/N.
She froze under his gaze. Her breath stopped in her lungs.
"...Y/N."
Her name escaped him like a prayer, as though he had dreamed it for centuries and feared she was only an illusion. His spear lowered. His body trembled. His lips parted, whispering again:
"You're alive..."
The fire surrounding his body flickered. His hand reached forward, slowly, carefully, as though even the act of touching the air around her might shatter the moment.
Y/N instinctively stepped back, her robe brushing against Mei's arm. Shame curled in her gut like poison. Her head lowered. "Don't... don't look at me like that."
Nezha's chest heaved. "It doesn't matter what they say. You don't have to hide anymore. I'll bring you home—I'll beg if I must. I'll make the Jade Emperor see reason. He will allow you back." His voice cracked with desperate conviction. "I'll make him."
"Nezha..." Her throat tightened. The word was heavy, broken.
Before she could answer—before he could reach her—
CRACK.
Wukong's fist collided with Nezha's jaw, sending the Lotus Prince flying backward into the open sky. The impact rang like thunder across the heavens.
The Monkey King landed in front of Y/N, golden fur bristling, his expression dark. "That's far enough, Nezha."
For a moment, all was silent but the ringing echo of the strike.
Nezha straightened in midair, blood trailing from the corner of his mouth. His hand shook as it gripped his spear once more, but his eyes never left Y/N.
"...This isn't over."
The Fire Rings spun faster, blazing bright as suns, promising the storm to come. ______♡
