Archive of Our Own ^beta

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it was a rainy night. Thunderbolts lit up the sky again and again, waking the children from their sleep. one of them was a brown-haired ten-year-old girl. the girl wrapped her body around a girl four years younger than her, protecting her from the wind and rain under one of the roofs between the alleys. a distance away from them there was a bum who had passed out from drinking too much alcohol. Another clap of thunder woke the black-haired girl from her sleep.~Xiao...~she whispered, waking up the older one~hm? what happened? ~ the golden-eyed girl muttered, looking at the six-year-old girl. ~ I want to go home... ~ she whispered. the older one was silent for a moment, but after a while she spoke ~ don't worry. your home is here. ~ she said, pointing to the younger one's heart. ~ and it always will be. ~ she added, hugging the navy blue-eyed girl again.

~oh! I'm sorry.~said the golden-eyed girl when she accidentally bumped into a man~watch how you're walking!~he shouted back, walking further. Mk walked a short distance and entered a dark alley, taking out the man's wallet from her sleeve. ~ well, well. It seems that it will be enough for some time~ muttered the sixteen-year-old, hiding the item in her sweatshirt pocket and going deeper into the alley to come out after a few turns near the noodle shop. ~ good morning. ~ she said as she went inside. ~ Mk! ~ the black-haired girl shouted , breaking away from the story being told by the man with glasses, and rushing over to the older one to hug her~I had a feeling you would be here~said the older one, hugging the younger girl.~Do I have some wine for this glutton?~she asked the chef.~two bowls of noodles ~said the elder, cleaning the bowl.~o! you know, Mr. Tang told me today how Monkey King sealed DBK under the mountain!~said the twelve-year-old girl happily while Mk took out the money and handed it to the cook.~really? So, did you like the fairy tale? ~ asked the older one ~ it's not a fairy tale! it's a true story ~ Bai He denied, looking resentfully at her older sister. ~ yes, yes. ~ the older one only muttered, putting the change into her wallet. ~ anyway, we have to get going. ~ the brunette announced, and the blue-eyed girl just sighed ~ okay . see you tomorrow! ~ she said to the couple, and then they both left the store.

~where are we going today?~a twelve-year-old girl asked.~there might be something interesting at the abandoned construction site.~said the older one, taking her ruined backpack.~let's go then!~shouted Bai He happily, and then, pulling Mk's hand, they both ran towards old construction site.

~then Monkey King used his staff to~ the blue-eyed woman was talking with delight, but she stopped when she heard someone's voices.~shouldn't it be lowered?~she asked the elder in a whisper.~it should~Mk muttered, and then they both hid behind one of the pipes.~ Finally, after so many years, my beloved will finally be able to return to us. is everything ready?~said the woman.~oh! it's Princes Iron Fan! ~ Bai He whispered. At this time, Mk climbed the pipes to get a better view.~Bai He, come!~Mk whispered, extending her hand to the black-haired girl.~only the last touches remain, Mother~ the boy with red hair tied in a ponytail replied to her.~ and who is that?~the golden-eyed girl asked.~what? hey. ~ the girl shouted in a whisper when a colorful bird sat on her hand. ~ sio! shhh~ the brunette whispered, but the bird had no such intention and additionally pecked the girl's hand. at this time, the two strangers took out a staff and released DBK.~Mk! look!~ Bai He whispered, while the elder one shooed the bird away. ~ what? ~ she asked ~ it's the Demon Bull King! ~ she whispered happily. ~ and Monkey King's staff! ~ she added. ~ great. but it's time for us.~Mk muttered, looking for a safe place to get to the exit~what? NO! we have to stop them before they destroy the world! ~ the black-haired girl denied. ~ it's none of our business ~ the golden-eyed girl said.~this is ours too. If we don't stop them, we won't have anything anymore~ Bai He said. ~And how are you going to do that?~Mk asked ironically~hm... we can take the staff and take it to the Monkey King. then he should defeat DBK and we can go back to our peaceful lives~ suggested the blue-eyed girl. Mk had to admit that sometimes Bai He could be really clever. and this extramural plan was quite okay. besides, she didn't want to lose what she worked hard for~okay.~the golden-eyed girl muttered, and exactly at that moment she slipped off the pipe and fell screaming onto the red-haired boy.~get off me, you idiot!~he shouted furiously, throwing off the Mk. it so happened that the girl landed a few centimeters in front of the pole. their eyes met for a moment, and the girl could look into the boy's jade eyes. but only for a few seconds, because DBK spoke. he started some conversation with his son while Mk reached for the Monkey King's staff. it got smaller, so the sixteen-year-old could easily hide it. ~em... I'm very sorry to disturb you. I was just looking for my sister, but apparently she's not here~she started nervously, getting up.~so I guess I'll go... ah! overall, great style, ma'am. I love it~ she said while retreating, she saw from the corner of her eye that Bai He was already in the elevator, so the golden-eyed girl turned around as quickly as possible and ran to the elevator.~hey! come back here! ~ she heard the boy scream, and her path was blocked by robots, which Mk easily avoided. plus living on the streets and avoiding pedophiles. the girl ran into the elevator and started the mechanism by pressing the button as fast as she could. ~have you got it?~ asked Bai He, while Mk was struggling with the flap above their heads. ~yes~she said at speed, she finally managed to open the flap~come on ~ she said, giving the twelve-year-old a boost so she could get onto the roof of the elevator. ~what do we do?~Bai He asked.~what do you think? We'll climb~ she said, letting her sister go ahead.

~come on!~Mk shouted, running out of the construction site.~run to Mr. Tang and Pigsy! I'll distract them! ~ the golden-eyed girl ordered, separating from the black-haired girl, and hearing the sound of a car behind her, she accelerated, running into one of the streets where the car couldn't fit. ~ okay, golden-eyed! give back the staff~she heard the boy screaming and saw that he was now following her on a motorcycle~fuck off!~she just screamed, and when he was about to catch her, she turned again, bumping into the boy with the flying board~sorry!~she shouted quickly, taking the item from him and running away. Hearing the boy's screams behind her, she started looking around for an escape route. unfortunately, there was only an unfinished road ahead of her. the girl wanted to turn back, but the red-haired man managed to grab her by the sweatshirt.~I've got you!~he shouted with satisfaction.~em... I guess we don't know each other yet~Mk started, smiling slightly at him.~anyway, we'll fall soon, tomato~ she added, and at that moment the road ended.Mk, seeing a chance, kissed the boy on the cheek, confusing him, and quickly took off her sweatshirt, escaping from the boy. when she was about to hit the ground, she was caught by someone again and put on the back of the bike, and after a while she stopped right in front of Pigsy's restaurant.~selfi!~she heard the girl's voice and took a selfie with her.~ hey Mk~said a girl with black hair with green highlights cheerfully~hi Mei~the golden-eyed girl replied, hugging her friend~girl! What have you gotten yourself into again?! ~ Mei asked, and at that moment Bai He ran out of the building, followed by Pigsy and Tang ~ Xiaotian! ~ the black-haired girl shouted, immediately hugging her sister. ~ hey, young one ~ greeted Mei ~ hey old one~the blue-eyed girl replied.~can you explain to us what's going on? I was about to close when Bai He came into the restaurant and started talking to Tang about some kind of staff, DBK, the island of flowers and fruits and the end of the world. ~ said Pigsy. ~ yeah... maybe we can talk inside? ~ suggested Mk.

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~yeah...listen girls. I know my stories are great, but they are just legends.~Tang said after Bai He told everything that happened.~although I must admit that this boy was really handsome, wasn't he Mk?~Mei said, looking at her friend , who was now completely focused on the small colorful pendant. ~ come on... how does it get bigger? ~ she whispered, and at that moment, the staff got bigger and longer. ~ aaaa!! This is the real Monkey King staff! I knew it from the very beginning!~ Tang shouted, showing his fan side, while Pigsy stared at the ruined table and Bai He looked at the rest with satisfaction. ~I told you~ she just said proudly, leaning on Mei who was staring at the stick in shock .~sorry Pigsy. I'm still figuring out how it works~ said Mk~okay. I believe you~said the demon~so... what do we do about it?~Mei asked~I guess it's obvious! we have to get to the mountain of flowers and fruits and find the Monkey King!~said Bai He, showing the drawings in her book that Mk made for her.~we have to get through the ocean and through the deadly security measures that the Monkey King has set up in front of his island.~he said Tang, assuming the pose of a storyteller~we'd better just give up~he added immediately, and the whole atmosphere disappeared, but the man himself received a light blow on the back of the head from his husband.~fortunately, I know someone who can help us~said Pigsy.

~so you need to get into FFM?~Sandy asked~yes! we have to find the Monkey King and save the world! ~ Bai He replied, while Tang was drinking tea. Mei was playing with the cats and Pigsy was wondering how his friend became so... non-aggressive? while Mei and Bai He were convincing the blue demon, Mk was sitting on the ship, making sure no one disturbed them. ~let's go!~she heard her sister scream, and a moment later the ship moved. out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a red hairstyle on one of the roofs

~Thank you again for your help.~Mk said, entering the bridge.~You're welcome. everything for my friend's daughters~said Sandy happily.~em...that's nice, but me and Bai He are not related to Pigsy~said the girl~really? you look like a real family~said the giant~that's nice to hear. Pigsy and Tang helped us a lot. ~said Mk. for the rest of her life she won't be able to repay them for what they did for them. ~anyway, I wanted to ask something~

~Are you sure the three of you can handle it?~Pigsy asked~surely. you don't have to worry about anything. our trio is undefeated~Mei answered him happily, her jade eyes shining happily.~watch out for the lava~Tang warned them~good luck~Sandy told them and Mo meowed something like a cat. the girls set off towards the mountain of flowers and fruits.~so, do you know where the cave is?~Mk asked, holding the staff in her hands.~well...~Bai He started, looking through her book.~we have to find the waterfall behind which there is a cave. where the Monkey King lives ~ said the blue-eyed girl ~. I see we have a little fan here ~ said a female voice, and the girls looked up, where they saw PIF. ~ give me the staff, girl, and nothing will happen to anyone ~ she said, pulling out her weapon so that it burst into flame with lava. ~ we won't give it back give it to you!~Mei shouted and Bai He added~the staff belongs to Monkey King!~she shouted.~well then you don't give me a choice~she said and then shot a fireball at the teenagers.~Bai He!~she shouted Mk, barely dragging the twelve-year-old away from the attack, and being lightly hit by fire herself. the girl hissed in pain.~Mk! Bai He! is everything okay?! ~ Mei shouted. ~ yes! ~ the brunette shouted back, and seeing that the woman was getting ready for another attack, she immediately shouted ~ wait! ~ drawing PIF's attention. ~ I'll give you the staff back. just please spare ours.~she said, standing up.~what!? you can't do this Mk! ~ Bai He shouted ~ your safety is more important than some stupid stick. ~ Mk stated, moving forward a little as the black-haired woman landed on the ground and summoned her gauntlet. ~ I see you have some sense. ~ she stated, taking staff in hand. ~ if it weren't for the circumstances, maybe we would have come to an agreement somehow ~ she said, turning away from the sixteen-year-old. ~ and you have quite good taste when it comes to fashion ~ she added, disappearingMk! why did you give her the staff?! ~ Mei shouted, helping Bai He up ~ because we had no chance against her ~ said Mk. ~ anyway, why do we need the old pipe? ~ she asked, pulling a small red stick from her hair. ~ oh my! you sneaky beast!~Mei shouted happily~how could I doubt you, sis!~said the blue-eyed girl happily, hugging the older one.~so, are we going to find this whole Monkey King?~the brown-haired girl asked.

at the same time, PIF entered the throne room in DBK's hideout.~my beloved.~she said, showing him the weapon, which was immediately sucked into the demon's armor.~strange...I don't feel any power~he said, and at that moment the weapon flew out from the armor, and the three of them could see the red paint peeling off, revealing a rusty pipe.

~I need... a break...~Bai He panted as the girls finally swam the distance between the fire ring and the island.~Me too.~Mk muttered, lying on her back on the sand and closing her eyes for a moment.~yes ...we all need a break ~Mei said, also lying down. there was silence for a moment, which was quickly broken by the sounds of monkeys.~hm?~Mk muttered, opening her eyes to see three monkeys above her head~monkeys!~screamed Bai He happily when one of them jumped on the girl's head~how cute!~ Mei squealed, hugging another one. Mk also rose to a sitting position and stroked one of the monkeys next to her. the girl smiled slightly~Xiaotian, will you draw us?~the twelve-year-old asked.~later. first we have to return the staff to its owner.~she said, gently removing the monkeys from her lap, shoulders and head.~come on.~she said, standing up.

it took some time for the girls to reach the waterfall, but luckily the monkeys helped them find their way.~thank you, dear ones!~said Bai He, stroking the creature that was walking next to her.~so this is it?~Mk asked. the monkey that was sitting on her shoulder nodded happily and then jumped onto the tree branch above them.~You know, girls, I'll wait here. by the way, I will make sure that there is no danger ~ said Mei, accepting a banana from the monkey. ~ okay. ~ said Mk, approaching the waterfall. ~ I think I will stay with Mei too. ~ said Bai He. ~ stage fright? ~ asked the older one , watching the younger one lie down on the ground near the river~something like that.~she replied, hugging one of the monkeys.~okay~the golden-eyed girl said, and then looked at the waterfall. she stretched her hand towards the water. A golden ring appeared in front of the girl's hand, and then another larger one with some inscriptions inside, and a moment later the waterfall split in two directions, revealing a cave. Mk looked behind her once again to make sure the girls were okay, then went inside~em... hello?! Is there anyone here?! ~ she shouted, but only an echo answered her. she could see murals on the walls, most likely depicting pieces of Monkey King's history. the girl sighed and then moved on. even though she was terribly tempted to take paint and repaint the time-damaged paintings. going deeper, she came to an open area with a small wooden house in the middle. Mk approached the house and knocked on the door.~Hello! Is there anyone here?!~she called out, but only silence answered her.~ugh. If no one answers, I'm going inside! ~ she warned, and after a while she grabbed the door handle. ~ hey, did you know it's a burglary thing? ~ a voice said from behind her. Mk turned around, seeing an orange monkey standing on two legs.~I warned you.~she stated, then walked up to the monkey king.~yes. so... where's my staff? ~ he asked, looking around. ~ here ~ said Mk, pulling the object out of her hair and enlarging it. ~ oh! ~ he only said, but he didn't take the weapon. he was convinced that DBK's wife took it. and since when did a girl learn to shrink it?~now come~she said, pressing the wepon into the hero's hands.~the world won't save itself~she added. only then did Wukong get over the shock.~I'm sorry, young one, but I'm retired.~he stated, throwing the stick to the brunette.~what? and what about the world? ~ asked the golden-eyed girl. ~ you can raise the staff, and in such a short time you have learned how to shrink it. You'll be fine.~ he stated, opening one of his peach chips.his statement clearly didn't please the mortal, because when he opened his eyes again, the girl was standing over him.~oh no, no, no.~she denied~that's not why I dragged myself to your stupid mountain, barely escaping with my life and risking the lives of my loved ones, for you to say that you don't want to! ~ she hissed, pointing a finger at the king, and at the same time stabbing him in the chest ~ wo wo! calm down, young one. ~ the redhead started, moving away from the golden-eyed girl. ~ listen. ~ he started. she could be quite scary when she wanted to~em...how to put it...I've been watching you for some time~he revealed.~what?~Mk asked, her angry voice not making the situation any better~and that's why I think you're perfect to be my successor!~he announced~no thanks~Mk replied immediately, looking carefully at the redhead.~em... anyway, I know you can handle it. You'll be fine without my help, honey ~he said, leaning on the girl's shoulder and stroking her head. Mk didn't answer anything, she just grabbed the king's hand that was in her hair.before the elder could say anything, she knocked him over and started dragging him towards the exit.~hey hey hey!~he shouted, breaking away from the girl and getting to his feet.~what do you think you're doing?~he asked, slightly irritated and surprised at the behavior and the strength of the girl.~I'm taking you to the city. if you don't want to go yourself, I'll take you there myself~ she said, trying to catch the sage again, but he grabbed her hand before she could do it~ sorry, but I'm not going anywhere. you made it this far. defeating DBK will be easy for you. ~ he said, but apparently he didn't convince the brunette ~ listen, I have no intention of getting deeper into this mess. ~ she hissed ~ I have much more important matters than playing hero, so please get off your lazy ass and go get rid of this stupid problem!~she finished, dragging him towards the exit again. Wukong sighed~it seems we won't get along like this~he said and then stopped. since he was still much stronger and heavier than the girl, she was unable to move him again.~I don't intend to leave this mountain anytime soon, so if you care about your city, you will go there and defeat DBK~he said firmly.

~Mk! what took you so long? ~ Bai He asked, but seeing the nervousness on her sister's face, she didn't dare to say anything more. ~ what happened? ~ Mei asked ~ I'm not going to talk about it now ~ she said ~ and now we're going back to the ship ~ she added.

~carefully.~Mk whispered, leading the rest of the group through the dark alleys.~now.~she whispered, running across the street. they were just going to the only safe place they knew. to "home" Mk and Bai He.~How long until we're there?~ Mei asked.~We're almost there. just a few more blocks~said Bai He while Mk destroyed the bot that spotted them.~yes. but if we don't hurry, we'll never get there~ said the golden-eyed girl.

~em...~Tang began, looking at the plain stone bridge.~Is this where you live?~Sandy asked.~oh, come on. it's not that bad ~ said Mk, pressing a few bricks in the right order to open the hidden door. ~ welcome ~ said the blue-eyed girl, running inside. ~ wow! This is where you two live?! ~Mei asked, looking around the huge room. ~yeah. I found this place a few years ago.~Mk said, walking to one of the cabinets.~most of the things were already here. all you had to do was turn it on~she said, taking out a rather old computer.~what are you going to do?~Pigsy asked.~look through the cameras.~the girl replied, entering the password to the device.~that...was already here too?~Pigsy asked uncertainly, watching the sixteen-year-old enter a folder.~done!~she said~now just find DBK...~she muttered.~there he is!~she shouted. seeing the figure of a demon on the screen.~it turns out that his armor absorbs energy and gives him strength~said Bai He, approaching the group already changed.~Mk, Mei, you should change.~she said.~we'll wait.~she added.

when the two friends returned, the remaining group was sitting at the table talking.~you are here!~Pigsy shouted, seeing the two girls.~yes.~Mei replied, sitting down, which Mk did as well.~we already know that we have to get rid of the armor. now we need to figure out how to do it~she started~any ideas?~she asked.~hm... at the beginning we will have to distract the attention of the robots and others from the bull family~said Mei.~we can take care of the robots.~Pigsy suggested.~in such a case In that case, I'll take care of the red one~ said Mei.~ then I'll fight PIF!~ Bai He shouted happily.~ there's no way. ~ Mk immediately denied it. ~ you'll stay here and lead us. ~ said the golden-eyed girl. ~ I somehow I'll sneak up on DBK and get rid of the armor~

Mk groaned in pain as her back hit the building ~ do you really think you can defeat me?! ~ DBK growled furiously, looking at the mortal with contempt. ~ what if so? ~ muttered the brunette, barely getting up and leaning on the staff. -There's an electricity stand nearby! if you drop DBK on it, the current should be able to disrupt the armor's operation! - Bai He shouted through the earpiece. ~I understand~ the girl muttered. the demon just laughed.~ha! you are not Monkey King! You can't defeat me even with a staff! ~ he shouted confidently. ~ you're right. I'm not the Monkey King.~she started, noticing the electrified box.~but that doesn't change the fact that I'll kick your ass!~she screamed, and with the help of her weapon, she pushed her opponent onto the electrified box.~father!~~beloved!~she heard screams. .~you! come here and fight for real! ~ shouted the red-haired boy whose name Mk still didn't know. She was about to answer when the black-haired woman spoke up~that's enough.~she said to her son~you won this time~she said calmly, and then she, her unconscious husband and her son, on the verge of an outburst of anger, disappeared in a whirlwind of wind.

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~and then Mk did this! and DBK says this! and then~said Bai He happily, trying to imitate her sister's movements with a wooden stick.~yes. anyway, I have to return it soon. The Demon Bull King has been defeated. as soon as I'm sure that nothing bad will happen, I'll give the staff back. ~ said Mk, looking through a book and tinkering with the weapon. ~ oh! come on, Mk! ~ Mei shouted, leaning on the brunette's head ~ that's right! you yourself are fascinated by all this! and don't say no! It's obvious from you! ~ said the blue-eyed girl happily, leaning on her sister's shoulder. at that time, there was news on TV about an unknown hero who was watching Tang with Pigsy~anyway, we're leaving!~Mei shouted, dragging the girls outside the ship.~what? where? ~Mk asked ~to the weather station!~the black-haired girl answered them.~yes!~ Bai He shouted happily, and before Mk could protest, both girls dragged her outside the ship.

~Mk! come on! come out to us! ~ Mei shouted, trying to pull her friend out of the locker room ~ no way! I won't go out in this! ~ the golden-eyed girl shouted back. when Mei took the girls to the station, it turned out that she had also prepared costumes for them. so now Bai He in her one piece suit along with Mei in her light green bikini were trying to pull out Mk who was in a peach colored bikini.~come on! you look beautiful! ~ Bai He shouted, trying to pull her sister's hand. ~ no way! ~ she shouted back at them

~and what? it's not that bad, right? ~ Bai He asked, swimming up to Mk. ~ I hate you two ~ she just muttered, trying to somehow cover her body. she didn't feel comfortable in this outfit. ~We love you too.~Mei replied to her. also swimming towards the girls. Mk sighed. she couldn't be angry with these two.~hey Mei, will you go to the toilet with me? because I don't know where it is ~ asked the blue-eyed girl. ~ sure. Mk, will you wait for us?~Mei asked.~mhm~the girl muttered, closing her eyes.~just don't kill yourself with the toilet seat.~she said~we don't promise anything~the black-haired girls replied, leaving the pool.

after a few minutes, some voices reached Mk's ears. the girl looked towards the noise, noticing the red-haired boy and his machine.~oh no...~she moaned, looking immediately for a way to the changing room before they could notice her. Unfortunately, Mk was caught by two robots as soon as she left the pool.~well well well. who do we have here?~ the boy muttered, turning to face the girl. as soon as he did this, his face turned red and he screamed in surprise.~what? Have you never seen a swimsuit, tomato? ~ the brunette asked ironically, and seeing the demon's red face, she snorted under her breath. It turns out that really every man is the same. However, at that moment, the red one did something that Mk did not expect. he took off his jacket and handed it to the golden-eyed woman.~here.~he muttered, looking in a completely different direction so as not to look at Mk's practically naked body. the girl stared at the red jacket for a moment in shock, but after a while she replied ~thanks to the tomato~

taking the clothes and putting them on.~can you stop calling me that?~he asked.~hm? in what sense? ~Mk asked stupidly~"tomato". my name~he replied to her.~okay.~the girl said, and seeing the slight joy on the boy's face, she added~roseflower~ with a cheeky smile~hey!~the boy shouted.~so what? do you prefer "pepper"? ~ she asked, and seeing the anger on the boy's face, she just laughed quietly ~ so... what's your name? ~ she finally asked ~ Red Son ~ her boyfriend replied. ~ sweet. My name is Mk~ the girl introduced herself, despite everything trying to free her hands tied behind her back, which were shackled as soon as the girl put on the sweatshirt. the boy just muttered something and then walked over to the table where the weather controller for all of China was.

~so... what are you planning, sparkle?~Mk finally asked, looking at Red Son who was doing something at the panel.~s sparkle!?~the boy repeated, turning to the girl, while his face was covered with a blush.~what ?~ the girl muttered, sitting comfortably on the floor. ~ suits you ~ she added, giving him her cheeky smile. the boy was about to answer something, but before he could, the girl's friends burst through the front door ~ hands off Mk, you pervert! ~ Bai He shouted, immediately attacking the boy. he immediately reacted by avoiding the twelve-year-old.~eh?! I'm not a pervert! ~Ren Son denied. Mk just sighed, watching the two argue. the girl stood up, finally freeing her hands.~okay. fun's over. ~ she muttered, looking at the rest who were working on the robots. the girl then looked at the two "kids" who were still arguing. Mk moved her sore hands for a while and then ~ okay Red! time for round two~ she said, attacking the boy.

Red Son returned to his room, immediately laying down on his bed.~agh! how come she is so... ~ he started, but stopped searching for the right words. ~... wonderful... ~ he whispered, burying his face in the pillow. the first time their eyes met, his heart beat faster. that thief stole not only the staff that day, but also his heart. she is beautiful and has character. her golden eyes were one of a kind, and even though you had to try hard, you could see the sparks of the girl's true emotions that shone so brilliantly. She could be like a calm lake one moment, and like a raging ocean the next. she was able to behave and approached others with respect, but on the other hand, to gain her respect, you had to really work hard. the demon sighed. this woman is impossible and amazing at the same time. and she looked so beautiful in his sweatshirt!

Mk muttered something under her breath as she sat on the roof and drew the figure of the Monkey King in Bai He's red notebook. it was not a book about the lazy king, but about the Monkey Princess, as Bai He now calls her. the blue-eyed girl decided that she would be the first to write down the story of the greatest heroine who ever walked this world, asking Mk to make drawings for it ~ is it supposed to be me? I'm much more handsome! ~ Mk jumped in fear, almost falling off the roof when she heard someone's voice. luckily, someone's orange tail caught her waist, preventing an unpleasant situation. ~you?~Mk neither asked nor said.~yes! one and only!~said the confident King.~and you weren't supposed to leave your beloved cave any time soon?~Mk asked, remembering their last conversation.~maybe yes, maybe not.~he said, settling more comfortably on his cloud. ~anyway, I'm here to offer you training on your powers. what do you say?~

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~huh? sleepover? ~Mk repeated, not entirely sure what it was about~yes. my parents were away for some meeting, so I thought we could have a girls' night~ Mei explained~yes!~exclaimed Bai He, jumping on Mei piggyback.~what do you say, Mk?~Mei asked, looking at her friend.~eh.. I think we can come over,~ replied the brunette. ~Yes!~ the black-haired girls shouted happily.

~wow... you have a nice house~Mk muttered, seeing the huge house of the Dragon family.~you must have had a really wonderful childhood.~said Bai He, looking around the garden.~it's actually not as nice as it may seem~said Mei .~hmm? why? ~ Bai He asked, looking at her friend. ~ you know... when I was little, I wanted to play and be silly like normal children. However, if you come from a long line of dragons and your home is practically a museum, it's quite difficult to have a normal childhood. ~ said the green-haired girl. ~ oh... ~ muttered the blue-eyed girl ~ sorry... ~ she muttered after a short while. ~ you don't have to. ~ Mei stated, opening the door and walking inside with her friends.

~so what are you learning now?~the black-haired girl asked.~recently, creating clones.~Mk replied, watching Bai He try to beat Mei in one of the games on the TV.~they are easy to create, but a bit more difficult to undo. especially since some of them created their own personalities.~explained the girl.~really?~the black-haired girl muttered, looking at her friend for a moment.~yes. and what is much more interesting, the Monkey King was never able to create such clones ~ added Bai He, but after a while she screamed in irritation when she lost another round. ~ no! ~ she shouted, putting down the pad and hiding under the blanket with a grump. ~ maybe Is that the end of the game for today? ~Mk suggested ~yes! we can watch a movie! ~ the dragon girl suggested, getting up from the couch. ~ wait here and I'll go get you some snacks! ~ she said happily, leaving the room.

~hm... okay... ~ the green-eyed girl muttered, leaving her kitchen. ~ chips... here they are. drinks, there are. there are jelly beans. fruits... there are. Bull Clone trying to steal the sword, there is.~she listed as she walked through the corridors.~wait...~she muttered, retreating to the room where the sword of her great-great-great and a hundred times great-grandfather Ao Lie is located.~what?!~she shouted, seeing the robot.~hey! hands off that sword! ~ she shouted, throwing the snacks and running after the robot that started running away with the sword. While running away, the robot began to throw down objects in the corridor, which slowed down the green-eyed girl who was trying to make sure nothing was destroyed. Meanwhile, Bull Clon got into the garage, smashed the wall and stole one of the bikes. that was already enough. Mei whistled, calling for her motorcycle, and mounted it and followed the thief. the cup has overflowed.

~huh? Did you hear something Bai He? ~Mk muttered, hearing some noises.~no. why? ~ the twelve-year-old answered her, browsing through movies for a marathon.

~come back here!~ the girl shouted furiously, being close to the robot. fortunately or unfortunately, one of the poles collapsed, causing both Mei and the robot to fall from their vehicles. the girl landed against the wall, and right next to her ancestors' sword. ~hm...?~ the girl muttered, rising from the floor to a sitting position and looking at the sword. she began to hear whispers, and as soon as she raised her sword, her dragon ancestors appeared above her. now the whispers turned into the voices of dragons.~is this supposed to be our descendant?~~she doesn't even look like a lady!~~the dragon's bloodline ban.~ the girl was overwhelmed under the voices of her ancestors. or more precisely, insults directed at her.~Mei?! you live there?! I heard some noise and went out to check if everything was okay! ~ her friend's voice broke through the voices of her ancestors. Mei tightened her grip on her sword and then rose to her feet.~You know what...~she started, raising her head to face her ancestors.~I am Mei Dragon! and I'm part of this family, whether you like it or not! ~ she screamed. ~ now get out of my head! ~ she screamed, and the dragons disappeared.~and as for you...~she hissed, turning towards the robot that was trying to escape.~get out. from mine. home! ~ she shouted, and green energy surrounded the black-haired girl. ~ hey Mei, are you... ~ Mk started, coming around the corner ~... here ~ she finished, staring at the huge green dragon above the Drgon family property. ~ oh my. .~she muttered, and surprise quickly turned into pride.~you're going, girl!~she shouted, even though she didn't know what exactly was happening here. at this time, Mei used her sword to fire a beam of green energy, completely destroying the robot and a large part of the garden. not to mention most of her house was blown to pieces. then she was lost and the darkness swallowed her up.

~Mei...~a voice broke through the darkness. ~Mei...!~ someone shouted again. after a while, the girl opened her eyes, seeing Mk and Bai He's face in front of her.~oh my! hey! she's alive after all! ~ Bai He shouted, hugging the girl. ~ Mei! ~ a woman's scream reached her ears. ~ mother...? ~ the girl muttered, seeing only how Mk was pushing his sister away from her. After a while, her parents appeared next to the girl.~Mom..? dad...? ~ the girl whispered, looking at her parents' faces. ~ luckily, you're fine! ~ her father shouted, while her mother closed her in a tight hug. it took the green-eyed girl a while to remember what was happening. luckily, the sword in her hand quickly cleared her mind.

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~Pigsy! let's go home! ~ moaned Tang, who had been following his husband around the fair for a good hour. he could never understand why his beloved couldn't just grab whatever vegetables he found at the nearest stall and come back. ~ come on, gentlemen. Are you looking for something specific?~ said a female voice. the black-haired man looked towards the stand where a woman was standing. ~actually~Tang started, but his husband interrupted him.~what are you selling?~he asked, standing at the counter.~maybe you can come in and see for yourself?~she answered with a question, disappearing into the darkness .~Pigsy, I don't think that's a good idea...~Tang said, trying to get her husband away from this strange stall.~oh, don't exaggerate.~the demon muttered, walking inside, and so did his lover

~Mk!!~the scream of Bai He who ran into Sandy's boat distracted Mei, and the black-haired girl was knocked to the ground.~I won~Mk said, helping her friend up, then looked at her sister~what Bai He?~she asked, making the staff smaller and hiding it in the hair. Mei put down her sword and looked at the teenager as well~Pigsy and Tang are missing!~she screamed.~how are they missing?~Sandy asked, appearing with tea.~they didn't open the shop today!~she said panicked.~what? after all, Pigsy never forgets to open his shop~ muttered Mei, immediately going to her backpack and taking out her computer. ~ what are you doing? ~ asked Mk, approaching the green-eyed girl with Bai He. ~ I'm looking for their location. ~ muttered the girl, no taking a break from the work at hand.~hey... shouldn't you be training with the Monkey King?~Bai He asked.~today we were only supposed to meditate, so I sent a clone there, and instead I'm helping Mei learn sword fighting~the golden-eyed girl explained. ~I've got them!~Mei shouted~their last location was... at the market. according to the map, they haven't moved from one place for a long time... ~ she said, looking at something. ~ that sounds suspicious, ~ said Sandy. ~ we need to check it as soon as possible! ~ shouted Bai He, immediately running to the entrance to the port. ~ well, at least you'll test your sword. I guess~Mk muttered, following the girl.

~so this is it?~ Bai He asked, standing with the rest of the team in front of an empty stand.~yes. according to the map, they are somewhere inside. ~ Mei said. ~ so what are we waiting for? ~ muttered Mk, going inside. ~ hello! Is anyone here?! ~ she shouted, looking around the empty room. ~ hey, what is it? ~ Sany asked, pointing to a huge circle on the floor where all four of them were standing. before anyone could respond, the floor beneath them disappeared and the entire group began to fall.

~ugh... is everyone okay?~Mk asked, looking around for the rest. Bai He was lying on top of her, Mo was sitting on the head of Sandy who was just getting up, and Mei was trying to untangle herself from the net. as soon as the blue-eyed girl stood up, Mk stood up too, feeling a huge pain in her back. she didn't know from what height they fell, but it wasn't low. ~ so at least we know where to look for our lovebirds. ~ Mei said, untangling herself from the net. ~ Mk, will you use the golden vision? ~ Bai He asked. ~ hm? Sure~ the girl replied, looking towards the dark corridor. At one moment, her whole body tensed, her breathing quickened and panic appeared in her eyes. ~Mk?~ Bai He said, looking towards the cave, but as soon as she saw six-legged creatures almost two meters in size, she immediately understood her sister's panic. Mk took a step back. after a while, another one, and another one, and after a while it falls over again. ~Xiaotian! calm down! breathe!~ shouted Bai He, immediately running to the golden-eyed girl. Mk tried to do what the twelve-year-old told her, but she couldn't. she felt as if every time she took a breath, sharp particles were getting into her lungs and irritating them. she was unable to calm down, and after a while her eyes flooded with tears. spiders. why do they have to be spiders?!

she didn't know where she was running. she just ran, trying to escape Spider Queen, who had already kidnapped her entire team. these canals were like a maze! At some point, the girl noticed a door. she immediately ran towards them, entering the room. behind the door she could hear the queen's screams and the sounds of demonic spiders.~well well well,... who do we have here?~said a male voice behind her. Mk jumped in fear, immediately turning towards the voice. a spider demon stood in front of her. he was a little taller than her, his hair was pitch black and his green eyes were shining dangerously. the girl was about to run away when the demon grabbed her wrist and pulled her towards him.~here you go~he murmured contentedly, taking her face in his hand and looking at it~what is such a beauty doing here?~he asked happily, but something in his voice was terrifying at Mk. the boy let go of her face and guided his hand to the girl's hair.~what's your name, beautiful?~he asked, bringing his face closer to the girl's. unfortunately for him, Mk was so scared that she couldn't utter a single word~we're afraid of spiders, aren't we?~he muttered, moving his face away to a safe distance.~my name is Zizhu. the future king of spiders.~introduced himself.~I assume you are the daughter of the Monkey King. right?~he said, pulling the girl deeper.~what? n no. I'm not his daughter~she replied as if in a trance.~so who are you?~he asked again~M Mk.~the girl said, still staring fearfully at the demon in front of her.~I see~ he muttered, and then sat the girl on the bed. his hand went to Mk's hair.~you know... it's not often you come across such unique eyes.~he said, running his hand through the brunette's hair. his face came closer to the sixteen-year-old's face again.~you have nothing to be afraid of beauty.~he whispered into her ear, lightly biting its lobe. Mk's entire body tensed even tighter. she wanted to do something, but her body didn't listen to her. she felt her heart pounding in her chest. she didn't even notice the demon biting into her neck.

when the girl opened her eyes again, she was on Sandy's ship. ~mm... what happened...? ~ she muttered, pushing herself up to sit up. ~Mk!~the screams of her friends hit her ears, and a moment later she was locked in a tight embrace by her friends.~what happened?~the girl asked, still wouldn't be fully awake.

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The brunette stood in front of the gate to the huge estate. She wondered for a moment whether this was really a good idea before she gathered her strength and rang the bell.~Hello?~a voice said on the phone.~It's me, Qi Xiaotian. I was discussed~said the girl.~oh! Qi Xiaotian! come in! ~ said a voice and the gate opened.

~I thought you wouldn't come.~said the middle-aged man.~You don't know how much I'd like to, old man.~the golden-eyed girl muttered, accepting a cup of water from the man.~how are you? We haven't seen each other for a while ~ the older one started. ~ things have changed a bit. ~ said Mk. ~ well. Seeing as you let Bai He take part in the race, something must have happened~ the man noticed, looking out of the corner of his eye at the muted TV which was showing a live report of the race between the fire demon and Mk's friend, Mei being navigated and acted as a third hand by the blue-eyed girl . the whole situation was commented on by two demons with whom Mk had already dealt.~yeah... I had to keep her occupied~the brunette replied, smiling at the sight of her younger sister.~well. I think we can start ~ said the blonde.

~b but n on the poster!~Red Son shouted, still partly in shock.~they meant immortality, in the form of your photo on the winners' wall.~Bai He explained, stepping down from the podium and taking a better look at the large photo of her and Mei. then she turned her gaze to the young demon. the girl took out a piece of paper and a pen from her pocket and, writing something on a piece of paper, approached the red-haired man. ~here~ she said, handing the man the piece of paper~hm? what's that? consolation prize?~he asked ironically~if you want to call it that, go ahead. this is the address of Mk's favorite place, you can often find her there. especially in the evenings. she loves sunsets and stargazing~she said so only Red Son could hear her. the girl could clearly see the sparkle in the demon's green eyes and a slight blush, most likely at the thought of her older sister. well, Bai He had always been observant when it came to this kind of thing, and she could clearly see how the demon reacted to Xiaotian~hm! in that case, I can accept it ~ he said, snatching the paper from the girl and immediately putting it in his pocket. ~ but I warn you, Mk doesn't have very pleasant memories of relationships, so don't get your hopes up too much ~ the black-haired girl warned, before the demon disappeared in the fire .~what did you give him?~Mei asked, walking up to Bai He.~consolation prize~the teenager replied.

~I have two pieces of news.~said the grey-eyed man, leaving the room with a few pieces of paper~your suspicions were right, the disease had developed. very, very developed ~he announced~and the other one?~Mk asked immediately, without taking her eyes off the mirror where, with the help of a few special cosmetics, she was covering the scar on her face. next to her on the locker were her sweatshirt and long gloves in the shade of her skin that usually cover the wounds on her hands. ~ a toxin has appeared in your body that effectively slows down the spread of emptiness ~ he explained. ~ are you sure you don't remember where you got that wound on your neck from? ~he asked to be sure~surely. You know perfectly well, James, that if I knew, I would have told you ~ Mk replied, putting on her gloves and an orange baggy sweatshirt. ~ but I'll try to find out what it's about ~ she added

when Red Son was there, the sun was just slowly heading towards the west. he was standing under an abandoned lookout at the top of the old park. the point was just a rusty, mother nature-dominated tower. Normally he would never venture into such a... plebeian place. he would just pass them without even looking towards the tower. the only thing that brought him here was that the address that girl gave him led to this place. the demon didn't know why such a filthy place was the favorite of the one he gave his heart to. ~are you looking for something here, sparkle? ~the female voice behind him made Red Son jump slightly with a silent scream and immediately turn around. to stand a few centimeters in front of Mk.~are you following me?~the girl asked, bringing her face closer to Red Son~e emm...~the boy tried to say something, but the girl's proximity completely distracted him.~I'm joking, after all. . I assume you also came to watch the sunset?~ she said, passing the boy and walking towards the viewpoint. ~uh... exactly. ~ he replied, following the girl. ~ your sister gave me the address of this place as a "consolation prize" ~ he explained and hearing the brunette's quiet, beautiful, melody-like laughter, his heart sped up.~well, I'm not surprised.~she said, opening the rusty door and going inside.

the sight he saw completely took his breath away. the setting sun illuminated the lake near the tower in gold and hid behind the trees marking the border of the park and the city. ~this... is...~ he said, delighted with such an amazing view. only the sound of the can being opened turned his attention to the girl next to him.~here.~she said, handing him the can.~t thanks~the prince muttered. Mk was even more beautiful at that moment, if that was even possible. their eyes met, and the sun reflecting in the girl's golden eyes completely hypnotized him.~you know... this place holds many memories.~the girl muttered, looking back at the view and taking a sip of the alcohol that was in the can.~really? ~Red Son asked, also looking at the sight in front of him and drinking the high-proof drink. it was just cheap alcohol, so it didn't make much of an impression on the demon. although he had to admit that he preferred wines that were often included in many parties to which he was invited as a member of the DBK family.~yes. many people have come here over the years. I got to know this place in a similar way to you~ said Mk, drinking the drink again.~I had a bad day and got lost in the park and accidentally ended up at this viewpoint. some old man who was just going to watch the sunset showed me this place~she explained, watching the sun finish its journey, leaving only a pink sky behind.~I understand~Red Son muttered.~but why are you telling me this? We are enemies, after all~ he said.~ hmm? I don't care much about all this heroing. I'm doing it only because Bai He cares about this city.~Mk said, and then looked at Red Son~by the way, I don't think we're on the battlefield right now~she added, giving him a gentle smile which the man he reciprocated. it was so wonderful, but something irritated the young demon~what was that smell?~he finally asked. Ever since they came here, I've been feeling the scent of some demon in the area. ~hm? I don't smell anything there. ~ said Mk, but Red Son knew better. that terrible smell... its source was somewhere on Mk! ~ did you have any close contact with the demon? ~ he asked immediately, lightly circling the girl. ~ hmm... I guess the last one was closest when we were taking Pigsy and Tang out from the Spider Queen's cave. ~ said the brunette, slightly lost in thought, not even noticing how her interlocutor was tensing up ~ Zizhu ~ he hissed, moving closer to the girl to find the source of the annoying smell as quickly as possible. ~ hey! what are you doing?!~ Mk shouted, and her zipped blouse slipped slightly, revealing the wound on the golden-eyed girl's neck as well as the source of the smell.~that bastard.~he hissed, looking at the mark left by the spider demon.~do you know what it is?~Mk asked, realizing that she could find out where the wound came from.~of course I know. that's the mark~ the green-eyed man growled. he swears that if he meets this asshole again, he will give him hell on earth! ~ what? ~ the golden-eyed girl asked stupidly. ~ marking. this is how demons let you know that a given person is already taken. in other words, this wound screams "I'm already someone's fiancée" ~ he explained, still staring furiously at the marking. his blood was boiling at the thought of that bastard taking his Mk. ~ and I'm not surprised he did it. he always loved all kinds of beauties. whether among demons or humans~he muttered to himself, not even noticing that he had just called Mk beautiful.~c can I get rid of it?~Mk asked, staring at the furious emerald irises that were now completely focused on her neck.~no. but it can be replaced by a stronger demon~he replied immediately as his hair sparkled furiously at the thought of some low-class demon laying his dirty hands on this girl.~then, can you replace it?~Mk asked after a while, completely shocking the demon.~wh what?~he asked stupidly, looking at the face of the girl in front of him.~would you be able to replace it?~Mk asked again.~personally, I prefer it to be someone I know.~she added, seeing the incomprehension on the interlocutor's face.~ well... I could do it.~Red Son said, straightening up and clearing his throat.~but are you sure?~he asked, looking from the girl's face to her neck.it was a really tempting proposition. he could be sure that no demon would get at her, and he could also try to hide his scent on the girl as much as possible so that it wouldn't be so noticeable. and of course he would have the opportunity to meet the love of his life and be able to come into quite close contact with the girl.

Chapter Text

~pretty good.~said the Monkey King, defeating Mk in battle again.~I realize that~said the girl, who, despite everything, is still no match for the great sage.~we just need to work on your concentration~he added, and after that there was silence.~what please?!~Mk shouted, appearing in front of the king's face in an instant.~that's what I said. you can't concentrate~ the redhead replied, pushing the girl away with his tail and opening another bag of chips. he had to admit that for an ordinary girl, the young one had strength and was good at fighting, but she hardly focused on his activities and was distracted by everything, and he saw that she had really great potential.~hm! I'm like a super master of concentration! ~ protested the girl, appearing in front of the king's face again ~ not true ~ he answered her right away, eating a crisp at the same time ~ true ~ she denied ~ no ~ he answered her right away ~ yes! ~ ~ no ~ ~ yes !~~no~

Mk entered the house mumbling a string of curses and cursing the lazy king under her breath. the girl went deeper underground and started moving through the maze of corridors to reach the room where the medicines were. She took something to calm her down and took a few deep breaths. her gaze was directed to the mirror, and more precisely to the place where the mark marked by Red Son was located. she still remembered the feeling of his warm lips on her neck over a week ago. the girl felt a slight shiver at the thought of that evening, and the pastel pink crept unnoticed on her cheeks. ~this is not the time to think about it~ she muttered as memories of her previous relationships appeared before her eyes. she looked away from the mirror and, still furious, left the room and she headed up.~what happened?~asked Bai He, who had just entered their apartment, seeing her sister wandering nervously from place to place.~nothing.~she answered immediately.~I just have to hit something.~She explained, still wandering.~What about the one I showed you? it worked~ the younger one noticed~ but it broke~ the brunette muttered, sitting at the table and looking at the book Bai He was reading.~are you looking for something?~she asked, seeing that the girl was only looking at the headlines.~em...it's nothing important after all. you don't have to worry ~ the black-haired girl replied with an awkward laugh. ~ you know you can tell me everything, right? ~ the older one asked. ~ the same as you did to Red about one of my places ~ she added, seeing the blue-eyed girl tense slightly. ~ I don't know what are you talking about ~ said Bai He, looking seriously at her sister ~ I'm talking about the consolation prize that Sparkle received from you after the race. ~ the elder one explained. there was silence for a moment, which was replaced by the loud laughter of the girls.

~hey, aren't you going to training today?~Tang asked~no.~Mk replied quickly, packing the last thing into her bag. she was just shopping with a black-haired man.~did something happen?~he asked, taking one bag in his hand~no~said the brunette, taking the other bag, and then silence fell between them~hey, I'm curious... what do you think? about school?~ Tang asked at some point along the way.~hm? I don't care about that, but personally I prefer to learn on my own~Mk replied, not even looking at the man next to her.~Why are you asking?~She asked.~Just out of curiosity. it's nothing ~ the black-haired man replied nervously, looking away from the brunette.

~boring~Mk moaned, during one of the meditation sessions she had with the Monkey King.~If you could concentrate, it wouldn't be so boring~said the king, not even looking at the student. Mk just growled something. why was he so hung up on it?! Was he offended by something or what?! The golden-eyed girl rose to her feet and headed towards the exit.~where are you going? the lesson is not over.~said the king.~something is happening in the city~said the girl~and how do you know that?~the redhead asked.~female intuition~Mk replied, leaving the room, leaving the sage alone. Wukong just sighed. How is he supposed to get through to this girl? he knew she wasn't his fan, but what must have happened to her to make her... like that?! after all, if he saw correctly, she has a normal life. two parents and siblings and friends.

when Mk reached the city, a huge monster appeared to her eyes.~oh great.~she muttered, looking for Mei, who was probably already in the middle of a fight. not seeing her friend anywhere, Mk drew her staff with the intention of attacking the thing from behind. after all, she recognized this character. it's a pity she couldn't remember where from... anyway, the girl charged at the creature, but before she could attack it, someone else beat her to it, destroying the creature. Mk, not expecting it, lost her balance and landed on the roof of one of the buildings. The golden-eyed girl moaned quietly in pain, but her attention shifted to the shadow above her~is everything okay?~a male voice asked

Chapter Text

~Mac?!~exclaimed Mk, seeing her old friend.~unique and unrepeatable~replied the demon, giving a warm smile to the younger girl~Xiaotian! Are you okay?! ~ Bai He shouted as she climbed onto the roof, but when she saw the other person she froze. ~ Macaque?! ~ she shouted happily, immediately throwing herself at the dark-haired monkey and closing him in a hug, knocking him to the ground in the process. ~ yes , yes~ said the elder, patting the black-haired girl on the head.~ I missed you too~ he added, trying to get up.~ I think so~ Bai He said when all three of them were already on their feet.~ You disappeared so suddenly... ~ she added a little more quietly. ~yeah.~muttered the older one.~now I know where I knew this creature from~Mk said, reminding her of her existence~Mk!~screamed Bai He immediately, running up to her sister and checking if she was okay.~Mk ?~Macaque asked~that's my name now. Bai He came up with it ~ the brunette explained, giving the elder a light smile. she hasn't seen him for a few years now.~I understand.~he just said, sitting in the air.~you know you'll have quite a long talk, right?~Mk asked, walking up to the elder and hugging him as well, which the demon reciprocated. the elder tensed at one point, but after a while he relaxed again and said ~ you probably also have something to explain ~

~You've done quite well~the monkey demon noticed.~yeah. this is the hideout I told you about back then.~Mk explained, making some tea while Bai He was looking through the cabinets for some snacks.~I assume white mango-peach?~Mk asked, taking out a box of tea. ~mhm~ the purple-eyed man muttered, still looking around the room. it was medium sized, and was the kitchen, living room and dining room at the same time~its the first floor. there are others below. It took us a whole month to search this place and make a map~ Bai He said happily, placing various kinds of cookies and fruit on the table.~It seems that things have changed a bit for you~said the black-haired man.~yeah. and it's too much for these three years~Mk muttered, putting two cups of tea on the table.~Bai He, your cocoa is ready. you just have to add what you like ~ said the golden-eyed girl. ~ cool ~ replied the girl, running to search the cabinets and the fridge again. ~ I didn't think you would get into another relationship so quickly ~ noticed Macaque ~ I'm not in a relationship ~ Mk replied to him ~ but somehow in a way, the marking stops the emptiness ~ she added, and seeing that Bai He was already decorating her drink, she just whispered ~ I will explain everything to you another time ~

time passed very quickly when you spent it with these two, and Macaque was well aware of it. when he first met these two about four years ago, he immediately felt that they were different from other people. especially Mk, whose golden eyes on the one hand resembled Wukong's, but on the other hand were unique. The older girl always had an aura of maturity despite her young age. the girls were always reluctant to share their past, but as Qi Xiaotian once confessed, they both considered him family, which Liu Er appreciated. especially since he saw the girls as his daughters and the time he spent with them was never wasted. There were several reasons why he left these two, luckily and Bai He and Xiaotian were understanding enough not to ask about it. they themselves knew that he was also reluctant to share his past, and when the time came, he would explain everything to them, just like they did about his past or Mk about her illness. Macaque had his reasons for leaving. one of them was that Wukong finally left his hiding place, so the black-haired monkey could finally put his revenge plan into actionthe reason he came back was because he simply couldn't focus on his goal, knowing that these two would always get into some kind of trouble. he also wanted to make sure that they wouldn't be accidentally involved in his plan, but as you can see, it didn't work out, considering that, firstly, Mk (as the brunette is now called) is the Monkey King's student, and secondly, from what he had time deduce the girl was tagged. and by none other than the son of one of his brothers judging by the smell. another problem was that during the three years of his absence, the girls came across reincarnations of Wukong's former comrades in JTTW, and Bai He became a fan of these stories as well as of his enemy. well, he dug in... well. he must find a way to get rid of this red-headed idiot and not get hurt or hated by Bai He and Mk in the process. one of Bai He's stories also disturbed him. more precisely, about how, while representing Mk, who was at training, the black-haired woman received a key from the mayor that opened all the locks. ~ well... maybe you could explain to me what the marking is about and what it has to do with your disease? ~ Macaque asked, when they left the bedroom of Bai He, who had just fallen asleep. ~ I'll explain everything in a moment, I'll just change, okay? ~ the golden-eyed one said. ~ okay ~ the purple-eyed one replied, ruffling her much shorter hair than the last time they saw each other, at the same time causing teenager's laughter

when Mk entered the first floor again, she had already changed into pajamas, which consisted of short fabric shorts and a T-shirt. the girl was not wearing makeup or covering her arms or legs, so the wounds and scars on her skin were clearly visible. this sight squeezed the demon's heart every time, no matter how many times he had seen it. ~ so what do you want to know? ~ asked Mk, taking out two cans of alcoholic beverage from the fridge ~ do you drink at this age? ~ asked Macaque. ~ and who forbid it? ~ she answered with a question, sitting on the sofa and giving one can to the demon next to her, but seeing his worried look she said ~ it's not like I'm addicted or anything. I drink once in a while. you do not have to worry. after all, it's not pure alcohol ~ and she gave one can to the purple-eyed man ~ and of course I make sure that Bai He doesn't come close to it ~ she added immediately, taking a sip of her drink. Macaque just sighed. after all, he had no influence on Mk's decision.~it's probably time to move on to more serious topics~Mk muttered reluctantly. they both hated getting down to THOSE topics, but they both knew they had to.

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the next day, when Macaque woke up, he realized that something was lying on him. it turned out that it was Mk, still sleeping, on one side, and Bai He on the other, who apparently woke up during the night and came to them. the black-haired man smiled slightly. he missed these two. from what Mk told him, she was not on the best terms with Sun Wukong, but Macaque knew that Mk first thinks logically in every situation and does not follow his emotions. well... sometimes she lets her guard down, which the girl doesn't like about herself, and Macaque thinks it's normal considering that the brunette is still a child. the designation situation was clarified yesterday, but knowing that the disease has worsened is not pleasant news. the man, with the help of his shadows, escaped from the grasp of the two girls, and making sure that they did not wake up, headed towards the fridge. since he's not sleeping, he might as well make breakfast.

~kick his ass Xiaotian!~ Bai He shouted as she watched the fight between her sister and Macaque. the golden-eyed girl had recently returned from training with the Monkey King, and since Macaque had just finished training with Bai He, they both came up with the idea of ​​having a little sparring session. Mk's strength and agility and reaction speed had surprisingly improved since they last fought. her fighting style was also much better than last time. she had to train really hard. she had already been able to match Macaque's experience, but now he really had to take it seriously so as not to lose. About a week after he returned to the city, Bai He came up with the idea to continue learning how to fight so that she could help Mk in her fights, to which the black-haired man willingly agreed. training with these two is always fun and interesting. ~your opponent is here!~Mk shouted, probably noticing that Macaque had run away somewhere in his thoughts~really? somehow I didn't notice you~ he replied and deflected the teenager's attack, throwing her onto a rock nearby. ~Mk!~ he shouted, realizing that he had overdone it. He was about to run up to the golden-eyed girl when something hit him from behind.

when he regained consciousness, he was not in the same place as before.~he is dangerous!~he heard someone screaming. he recognized that voice perfectly.~Sun Wukong...~he hissed, and a moment later the king came around the corner, arguing with Mk about something. Bai He was walking a little behind them.~Listen! I don't care what happened between you two! Macaque is like family to me and Bai He! and I won't let ANYONE hurt my loved ones! ~ the brunette shouted furiously, and bloody red flashed in her golden eyes. or so he thought.~Is everything okay?~Bai He asked, ignoring the arguing two and approaching the black-haired man.~yes.~he muttered, looking at the black-haired girl. she looked like she had been crying for a long time. he hasn't seen her like this for a long time.~Will you explain to me what happened?~he asked after a while, when the girl changed the bandage on his torso.~after you pushed Mk to that boulder, the Monkey King appeared. he probably thought you attacked us. I don't know. anyway, he attacked you, and you got hit really hard. you started bleeding... Mk immediately ran to stop the bleeding, shouting at the Monkey King. then we moved here, and Mk, after making sure nothing would happen to you, tried to explain that you weren't angry, even though Monkie King had a different opinion.They ended up arguing. ~ Bai He explained, also looking at the golden-eyed two, and her expression clearly showed that she didn't know whether to laugh or cry at the two. Macaque just sighed, then ruffled the blue-eyed girl's head and stood up~I'll sort it out.~he said, heading towards the two of them.~I told you you two were alike~he said, drawing attention to himself.~I'm not the slightest bit like HIM!~ Mk shouted, pointing a finger at the king ~ hey! ~ shouted ginger, not sure whether to be offended ~ you have a similar character. ~ he said, walking closer to the girl and leaning on her head, which earned him a murderous look from Wukong. Mk muttered something, rolling her eyes, and then moved away from her friend. ~I hope you're going to explain everything~ she said in a voice that brooked no objections, and then turned her gaze to the king~you too~she added.

~eh...~sighed Mk. it was long after midnight when the two demons finished explaining how they knew each other and what their relationship was, arguing every now and then. The monkeys clearly liked the black-haired monkey, and at the same time accompanied Bai He, acting as her mental support. Generally speaking, it turned out that they were friends in the past, then they quarreled about something, one of them died and came back to life with a desire for revenge, and now they hate each other~okay.~she started, interrupting another quarrel.~I have no intention of getting involved in your problem. , but considering that Bai He and I have become a part of it, and after all, you mean something in our lives, I have a few rules. ~ she explained slowly. after all, she knew that none of them would want to end their relationship with her and Bai He (even though the king had not yet met the blue-eyed girl, but it was immediately obvious that they got along and a bond of understanding was established between them). after all, neither she nor her sister want to distance themselves from these two monkeys.~first of all, you are not to kill each other~said the twelve-year-old. ~secondly, no strange actions. I know you two well enough to know that if I let you out of my sight for a second, you're going to do something," the sixteen-year-old said, met with resistance.~when supposed to be?!~exclaimed Wukong~out of our group, you two are the more likely to get into trouble!~exclaimed Macaque.

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month. so much time has passed to be able to somehow come to terms with two monkey demons. Fortunately, they somehow managed to prevent the two from killing each other, much to the delight of Mk and Bai He.~ah! how I missed this city! we have to go to Pigsy and Tang! they were definitely worried. Mei and Sandy need to know about this crazy month too! preferably with a bowl of delicious noodles! ~ said the blue-eyed girl happily, which caused Mk to laugh quietly. she had to admit that she could use a moment of relaxation. ~I think we could use a moment of rest. How about going to the beach tomorrow like we used to? we can also visit our old places of residence ~ suggested Mk. she didn't have to look at her sister to know that she was happy with the idea. the girls instinctively walked along the alleys, so they didn't see what was happening on the main roads. fortunately or unfortunately, one of the DBK robots that attacked the girls was enough to make them aware of it. Mk, of course, destroyed the enemy as quickly as possible. ~I guess there won't be a chance to relax~ muttered Bai He, taking a metal pipe in her hand and looking at her sister knowingly.

as the girls went deeper into the city, a post-apocalyptic scenery came into view. there wasn't a soul in the city. but every now and then you could hear battalions of robots roaming the streets. Mk used her golden vision to somehow find the source of this problem.~got it~she muttered, seeing the huge crater where she first encountered the Bull family.~so what? are we splitting up? ~ Bai He asked. ~ I'll find the rest and you will take care of DBK. ~ she said, seeing the uncertainty on her sister's face. Mk was silent for a moment.~Are you sure you can handle it?~She asked uncertainly. Bai He gave her a warm smile~we've dealt with worse~she replied. the brunette just sighed~take care of yourself.~she said, hugging the younger one and running towards the crater. Bai He smiled happily and then ran to start searching, not realizing that they had missed one of the robots that was watching the girls from hiding...

Red Son felt his heart leap into his throat as he saw Mk on one of the screens. he knew she would come here eventually, but he didn't think it would be so soon! plus his father went completely crazy. this didn't look promising...~Sun Wukong...~his father hissed when he saw the golden-eyed girl, and then he started mumbling something.~eghem.~Red Son began, drawing attention to himself~father...don't you think it would be Much better if I dragged Wukong's apprentice to our side? she could be a strong ally. there's no point in... killing her. ~ said the green-eyed one. he knew he couldn't avoid the fight, but with his father in this state, the golden eyed one would be killed. and Red Son didn't want that. his father started mumbling something again, turning his back to the boy, and then shouted something and attacked the red-haired boy.

avoiding his father's attacks was difficult. especially since the strange energy in the canisters gave him power. the boy just jumped away from the attack only to hear someone screaming above him. before Red Son could react, something fell on him. when the boy opened his eyes again, he was met with his golden counterparts. the demon was slightly shocked, but after a while he blushed, realizing that the girl was lying on his chest. or rather she was lying, because at that time she managed to get up into a sitting position, while slightly rubbing against his crotch. ~Get off me!~ he shouted, trying to move away from the golden-eyed girl, while his face began to turn the color of his hair. unfortunately for him, his father didn't wait for the red-haired man to get himself together and attacked.

Mk, seeing the attack coming, immediately jumped back, pulling Red Son behind her. ~be careful~ she said, drawing out her staff, but before she could do anything, PIF's hand stopped her. ~this time we're fighting with you. the thing in the canisters took control of my husband ~ the black-haired woman explained, summoning her weapon. ~ okay. so we just need to destroy the canisters, right? ~she asked just to be sure, not expecting an answer. ~we'll distract his attention. Meanwhile, destroy the canisters.~ Red ordered, summoning his flames and heading towards DBK with his mother. Mk stood watching the fight for a moment, then looked at the surroundings. a cheeky smile appeared on her face as a plan formed in her head. the girl quickly created a clone, giving him a staff, while she herself began to climb one of the walls. At this time, the clone moved towards DBK to drag him to the right place. As soon as the Demon Bull King was in the right place, the girl jumped down and the clone at the same time threw her a staff, and before DBK could react, the golden-eyed girl used her weapon to destroy the canisters, landing a few meters away. Red Son's hand appeared in front of her face and he offered to help her get back on her feet, which Mk accepted with a slight smile. once she stood up, her eyes went to the bull demon.~ugh...w what...what happened here..?~he asked, slowly regaining his senses. PIF recalled her weapon, walking towards him and pressing their foreheads together~you came back to me...~she whispered, closing her eyes and enjoying the moment. Mk's gaze turned to Red Son, who was looking at his parents with a smile.he must also have been relieved to see that his father was okay. then the brunette looked at her hand, which was still held by the fire demon.~you know, you can let go of me now~she said, gaining the elder's attention.~hm?~the man muttered, looking at the Mk incomprehension. she just pointed with her other hand at their intertwined hands.~o oh! sorry.~ he said, letting go of the golden-eyed girl's hand and turning his head away in embarrassment. ~it's okay~ Mk replied, putting both hands in her sweatshirt pocket. ~by the way, it would be good to get out of here~ she noticed when the ceiling collapsed a little further away .

there was nothing better than celebrating a victory with your loved ones. even if it was just free noodles at Pigsy's restaurant.~you know Mk...~Bai He started, approaching her sister who was currently admiring the sunrise from the roof of the building opposite the restaurant~what is it?~the older one asked.~because... . I... this one... ~ the blue-eyed girl started, looking for the right words ~ if you've found a boyfriend, don't worry, I won't scare him. ~ she said, and the younger one blushed slightly ~ that's not the point! ~ she shouted immediately. ~ Besides, we both know that you would kill him with just a look ~ she said, causing the older one to laugh quietly. ~ the thing is... I was wondering... about enrolling in school ~ she finally said ~ okay ~ replied Mk ~ and I know you'll say it's a terrible idea! and that you hate school but-! one sec. what? ~ Bai He asked, confused ~ if you want, we can sign you up. it's your decision~said the brunette, ruffling the younger one's hair.~n really?!~ asked Bai He.~mhm~she purred back with her golden eyes.~oh my! I have to tell the rest! thank you~ Bai He shouted, hugging Mk and immediately running to the restaurant. Mk laughed lightly, looking again at the end of the sunset, when a scream reached her ears. ~Bai He!~ she shouted, recognizing the voice perfectly.

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Mk blocked Monkie King's attack and countered by drawing her staff. Wukong landed on the edge of the cliff as the girl lunged at him. Wukong merely knocked her staff away and it flew onto the stone wall behind them, causing an avalanche that flew straight towards the brunette. Mk only had time to scream before she was pinned down by stones. luckily, before this happened, a purple portal appeared under her feet and threw her a few centimeters in front of the battlefield.~not bad. you're getting better and better~said the redhead.~just like you at throwing things on others~commented Macaque, stepping out of the girl's shadow~hey.~the brunette muttered, getting up.~any news?~she asked immediately, and seeing the black-haired demon's face only she sighed ~ calmly. we'll find her~ said Macaque, putting his arm around the younger one and hugging her lightly.~come on. New Year is coming soon~ he said, heading to the cliff where pillows and various foods were already laid out. Mk sighed quietly, and resisting the urge to cry, she walked over and sat down next to the two immortals. since Bai He disappeared, it's really hard for her not to break down completely. Fortunately, thanks to the support of others, especially Macaque, it is somehow holding on.

Red Son sighed slightly before giving the customer his order. his mother chased him and his father out of the castle, telling them to get along and spend time together as father and son. in fact, the last time he came to Mk they fought together to bring his father back to his senses, and in the process his parents found out that he had marked her. while his mother somehow accepted it, revealing that she had some sympathy for the girl, his father got a little angry. not to mention the several-hour lecture he gave him about markings and the responsibilities related to them. Red knew it was his way of showing he was worried, but it still felt a little... uncomfortable to have to hear about THOSE things and what it was like for him when he met Princes Iron Fan. At that moment, a scream reached his ears.~hm? what's up? ~ he muttered, leaning out from behind the counter of their little BBQ stand.

~three…two…one!~Wukong counted down.~happy new year!~he shouted, and at that moment the dark sky was lit up by fireworks. ~ah... after all these centuries, fireworks are still the best thing humans have ever created~ said the redhead, eating peaches. ~I have to agree here~Mk said, and Macaque just nodded in agreement. The girl's attention was drawn to the two colorful bracelets on the black-haired demon's hand~do you still have them?~the girl asked while a slight smile appeared on her face.~of course you do. it's my most precious treasure~ Liu Er confirmed, also smiling.~what's going on? what treasure? ~ Wukong asked, leaning on Mk.'s head ~ hmm? they're just bracelets ~ he said, seeing the colorful decorations. ~ they're a gift ~ the purple-eyed man hissed. despite everything, they both still didn't like each other. they didn't kill each other just for the sake of Mk and Bai He. Mk just rolled her eyes and looked at the dark sky.~hey...where are the fireworks?~she asked.~they never ended so quickly~she added, and suddenly there was an explosion~the city!~~fireworks!~~my house!~they shouted at the same time to meet the devastated look of the shadow master~what?~Mk. asked~.. and people get hurt. or something like that~Wukong added at the same time.~okay. It seems it's time to end the fun~ said Mk, getting up, only to be dragged to Wukong's cloud.~I'm coming with you. no one will spoil my new year~announced the stone demon.~then so will I. I'd rather you didn't destroy more than half the city~ Macaque muttered, also climbing onto the cloud.

~hmm. Looks like the Spider Princess has finally decided to come out into the light~Wukong muttered, and Macaque could see Mk tense up at the mention of spiders.~Wukong, stop for a moment. we have to come up with a plan. ~ he said, and without waiting for an answer, he jumped down from the cloud, dragging the brunette with him and forcing the king to follow them. they stopped at a building near Spider Queen's mech.~Me and Mk will go find the rest and help the inhabitants. you take care of the queen. okay? ~ he suggested, looking at the Mk out of the corner of his eye. Bai He's support could come in handy here now. the blue-eyed girl always made Xiaotian feel calmer, even when she wasn't doing anything. ~she's terrified of spiders~ he explained, seeing the confusion on the king's face. ~I understand~ the king muttered, summoning his cloud again. ~good luck, young one~ he said, ruffling Mk's hair and flew away .~wh what?~the girl asked, as if pulled out of a trance.~nothing like that. let's go . we have to find the rest~ Macaque said, sending a smile to the brunette

~oh Monkie King. what a nice surprise. did you come out of your hiding place just to see the old me? ~ asked the queen ~ I didn't know you demanded attention so much, Spider Princess ~ Wukong answered her mockingly. ~ I thought that I would have to take care of your charge first, but seeing as how You're here, I'll be able to get rid of you much sooner~ she said, throwing herself at the monkey demon. as soon as he avoided the attack, the demoness hid in the shadow ~ give up, princess ~ he said mockingly ~ we both know that you are too predictable ~ he finished, and hearing the noise behind him, he immediately started attacking. how surprised he was when he saw Bai He instead of Spider Queen. but before he could do anything, a powerful aura threw him into the air, straight into the queen's web.~really, a web? do you think something like that could be possible-agh! ~ he screamed in pain as the net began to electrocute him while absorbing his powers. ~ finally! after so many years, you have lost! ~ she shouted, laughing. ~ now that we have the Monkey King out of the way, I would like to start looking for my beloved one ~ a voice said, and Zizhu came out of the shadows. ~ Wukong's apprentice, right? ~ the queen asked, just to be sure. ~ calmly My subjects are already looking for her. She should be in your hands soon, son~ she said calmly.

~hurry up!~Tang shouted, watching the massacre taking place on the streets of the city~wait a minute, what about Mk?~Mei asked~the young one is with the Monkey King. she'll be fine~ said Pigsy, untying the rope that moored Sandy's boat. ~just a moment!~ shouted the big man, trying to turn the boat on. at that moment, a flash revealed thousands of spider robots. ~ oh... ~ murmured Tang. ~ Sandy! ~ shouted Mei ~ I'm trying. ~ the redhead replied to her, extinguishing the burning control panel ~ we're all going to die... ~ whispered Tang, just a few seconds later, Mk and some demon emerged from the purple portal.~There you are! ~the girl shouted, using her weapon to get rid of the insects.~we were looking for you everywhere~she added, jumping onto the ship.~I don't want to rush, but we should move~said the demon next to the brunette~e... Mk, who is it?~Mei asked~ huh? oh! this is Macaque. my and Bai He's adoptive father~the girl explained.~well, well, well. I didn't think I'd be able to find the prince's beloved so quickly~a voice said from behind them, revealing a spider demon.~beloved?~they all asked at the same moment, looking at Mk.~I'll explain when we're safe~Mk replied~we'll give it a go I can handle one spider~Pigsy said, holding the frying pans as a weapon. at that moment another, much larger spider came out of the shadows.~we found her.~said the smaller demon into the communicator.~Sandy! it's now or never! ~ Pigsy shouted ~ wait a minute... here! ~ he shouted, taking the remote control and summoning the flying mech. ~ okay! let's get out of here!~ he said, throwing everyone into the ship and flying away. ~I was saving it for a special occasion~ the blueskin said~I must admit it's amazing~Mei said, taking out her phone and taking a selfie with the view~it's just a pity that THIS is happening~she added, pointing at the city with her hands.~Mk, where's the Monkey King?~Pigsy asked.~he was caught~ announced Macaque as his ear fluttered. his hearing has never deceived him.~then we're screwed~Mei said~what else? suddenly a demon will fall from the sky? ~ the brunette asked ironically, when a scream reached everyone's ears. Sandy immediately ran in front of everyone, destroying the flying scooter and catching the driver to immediately drop him to the ground~Red Boy?~Mei muttered, and seeing that he was getting up, she immediately shouted~get him!~ throwing herself at him, which the others did , apart from Mk and Macaque.~what are you doing here?~the brunette asked, leaning over the boy. Macaque barely stifled a growl when he saw that the red-haired man was blushing slightly at the girl's proximity.~ugh! It so happens~ he began, getting out from under the group of mortals~ that my father was also kidnapped by Spider Queen. I came because I also want to get rid of her~ he finished, pointing to the robot.

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a soft sigh escaped Mk's lips as she wandered around the throne room looking for a way to move the entire alchemical cauldron in which the lazy king was being cooked. she could have used her powers, but she didn't want to attract the attention of the guards standing at the entrance. two huge heavenly dogs that could kill without hesitation at any time. even though the brunette passed by and met their appraising eyes and was let in, she clearly saw that these were not opponents worth messing with. not that she wasn't like that. these creatures knew it too. the place itself was... surprisingly empty. she could convince Mihou to go with her. he could use shadow magic to move this cauldron or whatever it is. but they probably wouldn't have gone inside then. her thoughts were interrupted by someone's breath on her neck.~hm?~she murmured, turning to meet the faces of the animal guardians of this place.~was there a time limit?~she asked, and as another blast hit her face, she felt the beings' worry.~something is getting closer? ~ she asked, then looked at the closed door. she was able to hear someone's footsteps. the girl immediately ran to hide behind one of the pillars while the guards returned to their places. just two minutes later the door opened and someone walked in.~are you sure this will work?~someone's voice asked~of course it will. believe me, do what you have to do, ~.someone else's voice replied, and Mk felt shivers go through her. ~that's what I'm counting on~ the first voice replied, disappearing behind another door. Mk immediately came out of her hiding place, looking at the item she was about to steal. there was one more thing on it that wasn't there before. the girl immediately took it off and put it in her pocket, and then headed towards the entrance gate.~hey.~she started, drawing the attention of the two dogs.~thanks for the help.~she said~it turns out that someone had predicted that I would come for this one. ... cauldron? is that what it's called? Never mind. Since they know it will disappear anyway, could you two help me move it? ~ asked the golden-eyed girl.

~so... you helped Mk defeat his own father?~Mei started the conversation.~are you two together or not yet?~she asked, and seeing the reaction in the form of the demon's burning hair as well as blushes and screams, she concluded that it was not.~you know... .if I heard correctly, the spider prince is going to take her. If you don't hurry, you might miss your chance~Mei said, stopping under the peach tree.~Is that it?~she asked, and hearing no reaction, she looked towards the demon. he didn't look happy. more like angry.~Zizhu...~he hissed~that bastard has no right to even be in the same room as Mk!~he finished~wow, man. You really fell in love with our Mk, didn't you? If you want, I can tell you a little about relationships among people, assuming it's different in your case ~she said, reaching for a peach.~r really?~the red-haired one asked, looking at the black-haired one with shock.~surely so. I know a little about Mk, and I can help you if you care about her that much. but I warn you, I cannot guarantee that Mk will accept you~ she warned, taking the peach and turning to face the boy. she didn't particularly like him, but it was clear that Red Boy was able to provide Mk with complete support while Bai He was missing. the green-eyed girl is furious with herself for not being able to be there for her best friend when she needs her, but she knows that Mk won't let her put the brunette before her family and responsibilities. However, she trusted Bai He's instincts, and she knew that since the twelve-year-old believed that Red was the right person to trust, she decided that she would give him a chance to prove his worth.

~you are here. did you see Mk on the way?~Macaque asked, seeing that the group that went to get the peach had also returned.~no. isn't she there yet?~Red Son asked, entering the ship.~hey! I'm here!~ Mk shouted, and when Macaque looked at her, he practically froze. two heavenly beasts were walking on either side of the golden-eyed girl.~Macaque, can you use your magic to move this piece of iron to the ship?~the brunette asked, stroking one of the creatures.~okay! the ship is repaired ~ Sandy announced, coming out from under the deck. ~ oh my! ~ Mei shouted, immediately jumping off the ship to pet the animal guards. unfortunately for her, the beasts reacted hostilely towards the young dragon.~what is it? why do they like you and not me?~Mei asked sadly, pretending to be offended, which only made the golden-eyed girl laugh.~I don't know.~the girl replied, approaching her friend. she turned to the beast for a moment and bowed slightly ~ thank you very much for your help. ~ she said, and the two dogs also leaned slightly and then left. ~ I think it's just Mk's nature ~ Pigsy said, when the black-haired woman got on the ship.~cub are you coming?!~ shouted the monkey, seeing that the girl was suspended, looking at the heavenly kingdom.~hm? ah yes! I'm coming.~ the girl muttered, turning around and heading towards the ship. unfortunately, before she could even touch the machine, she was trapped in the nets.

Can there be anything worse than a spider invasion? being forced to marry the prince of spiders, which was exactly what Mk was experiencing, resisting with all her might for the spider demonesses to take off her clothes and put them in a black dress that was standing a few centimeters away.~calm down, miss!~one of them shouted, finally getting rid of the brunette's undershirt. ~don't make our work harder!~recommended the second one, getting rid of the girl's pants.~then don't make my life harder!~she screamed, even though her heart was shaking at such close contact with spiders.~that's enough!~the queen's scream rang out in the room .~leave~ the queen ordered, leaving herself alone with the girl. Mk immediately ran towards her clothes, but once again she was stopped by a spider's web. ~I'm not surprised that Zizhu chose you over all the women. ~she said, standing face to face with the brunette.~but I'd rather you didn't ruin this moment. ~she added, and seeing that she had no intention of cooperating, she just sighed.~if you don't stop resisting, it will end badly for you.~she said and then left.

what Red Son felt couldn't be described in words. just knowing that Mk had been kidnapped was terrible. as did the feeling of helplessness that did not leave him until they left the heavenly land. intra-articularly, the knowledge that that damned Zizhu could harm Mk, let alone complete the marking, made Red Son want to personally not only murder that demon, but also watch him suffer in the worst way possible. the antidote worked, but fighting Spider Queen is difficult. the boy used fire to destroy the spider web flying towards him, when he was thrown back and hit the wall with force.~do you really think you can defeat me?! I'm the queen!~screamed the self-confident demoness~yes? and I am the king. ~ a loud voice answered her, and a moment later Sun Wukong appeared next to the red-haired man, and a moment later his father. ~ finally ~ Macaque muttered when the redhead released him from the net. ~ where is Mk? ~ he asked and at that At that moment, an explosion reached everyone's ears, and a moment later someone flew out of the hole in the mech.~YOU (!%$%($&%# IF YOU TOUCH ME AGAIN, I SWEAR THAT !*#&%&% AND #%*^$! UNTIL !#**&%#$( ! DO WE UNDERSTAND EACH OTHER!? ~ It took Red Son a moment to recognize this voice. ~ Mk ~ he whispered, and when he saw someone coming towards them, he immediately prepared to attack or defend, but he didn't expect it would be the golden-eyed one in her torn black dress her makeup was a bit blurred and her hair was a mess. There were a lot of scars on her body, and Red noticed a few hickeys on her neck. He immediately wanted to approach her, but then Mk lost her balance and almost fell over. ~ FUCK! ~ she screamed, taking off her black high heels, and throwing them with all her strength behind her. One of them hit the robot's leg, making a hole in it. ~em... ~ began Wukong, but as soon as he met the mortal woman's furious gaze, he immediately shut up. with the other one Mk, cursing under her nose, headed somewhere, and as soon as she disappeared, Spider Queen's mech collapsed. ~ so... I guess... we won? ~ Mei asked. ~ that's what it seems. ~ Tang replied to her. ~ is this thief really? is he human?~DBK asked quietly~yes. although I sometimes wonder about it myself.~Macaque replied, obviously hearing his father's mutter.~eghem. either way, we have to go back.~the bull king announced, but Red Son didn't react.~can you go back alone? I still have something to do ~ said the green-eyed man, and then disappeared in flames.

for some reason he felt that Mk would head towards the old viewpoint. he wasn't wrong. Before he could even go out onto the terrace, a quiet cry reached his ears. he slowly made his way to the open door and looked to the side where he found the Mk. the girl sat huddled against the wall, trying her hardest not to cry, but as soon as Red Son took another step, the brunette looked towards him. Red felt his heart tighten at the sight of her eyes filled with pain and fear. ~go away...~ she whispered, hiding her head between her knees again. the green eyed demon didn't do that though. instead, he sat down next to her and placed his hand on her back, trying to somehow comfort her. Not a moment passed and Mk was snuggling into his chest, bursting into tears and hugging the elder with all her strength. Red Son didn't say anything, just hugged her back...

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A few days after the whole event, Red Son's parents received a letter with an invitation to a ball to celebrate the engagement of the son of some influential demon. of course, it was obligatory to take a partner with you, so now Red Son and the dumpling couple were standing under one of the bridges. ~So... this is where she lives? ~ Red Son asked, his face not expressing any satisfaction. Besides, no one would expect that the successor of the Great Sage of the Equal Sky would live... under a bridge.~it doesn't look inviting, I know.~Pigsy muttered, still unsure if he was doing the right thing by leading the enemy to the brunette's house.~I'm not sure if he's at home. I haven't seen her since the incident with the spiders. ~ he stated, knocking on the bridge wall. Within a moment, an open passage appeared, where the golden-eyed girl was standing. ~What do you want?~ she asked, looking at everyone in turn, stopping for a moment at the young demon. even though her face showed indifference, Red could see a few sparks he didn't understand in her golden eyes.

~eh... so this is what it looks like?~she muttered, leaning back in her chair.~well, when is the ball?~she asked after a while~w wait a moment, so you agree?~Red asked.~and what choice do I have? after all, I got myself into this shit. ~ she said. ~ well... the ball is in three days. ~ said the red-haired one. ~ do you have any clothes yet? ~ she asked. ~ yes. ~ the boy replied. ~ great. do you have a photo or something?~she asked immediately.~em...I can quickly go to my room and take a photo.~he replied

~she's late.~ DBK muttered. instead of his armor, he was wearing a black suit.~relax. I'm sure he'll come soon~ said PIF, her dress matched her lover's. her eyes rested on her offspring. Red Son was wearing a red elegant shirt and black elegant pants, and a black suit rested on his shoulders. he looked stressed. ~sorry I'm late~ a voice said from behind them. Red immediately turned around and was speechless. Mk looked stunning. her red dress perfectly matched the young demon's outfit, and the delicate makeup highlighted her beauty.~good evening.~she greeted Red Son's parents, a slight smile appearing on her face.~well. Now that you're here, can we go inside?~DBK asked, breaking the silence.~oh oh! yes~ Red confirmed, giving the brunette a hand which she accepted, and the four of them headed towards the entrance to the huge building. there were many people inside, but they were the first to meet the organizers of the entire event. ~ hello. We're glad you came. ~said the young boy happily. his red-blue eyes and blue hair matched his white suit and pants perfectly. ~I'm Vex, the eldest son of the Dao family.~he introduced himself.~and this is my beloved Emily~he said pointing to the woman next to him. she was in an elegant white dress. her blue eyes sparkled happily and her blonde hair was tied in a bun.~It's very nice to meet you.~said Iron Fan, giving a smile to the young couple. The Dao family was an influential demon family with whom PIF and DBK had very friendly relations. ~I'm glad everything is going well for you after that terrible masquerade. ~said the Demon Bull King, also giving a smile to the young couple.~yes. I really thought we wouldn't recover after that. ~ the young demon laughed lightly. ~ oh, don't exaggerate like that. We both know you'd get your act together sooner or later~Mk said, drawing attention to herself.~Xiao? so you came after all?~Vex asked happily.~how could I not?~the brunette replied, hugging the boy and his fiancée.~congratulations, dear.~she said.~Bai He has a knack for relationships, after all.~she said, causing the woman to laugh quietly.~ You're right. Besides, I see you didn't come alone. ~ Emily noticed, looking at Red Son with a smile. ~ It's nice to meet you. I'm Red Son. son of Demon Bull King and Princess Iron Fan ~ the boy introduced himself, snapping out of shock. ~ I'm glad that someone from such a wonderful family found a place in Xiao-Xiao's heart. honestly, I thought that after that incident, my beloved sister would never get into a relationship again. ~ she said, also hugging the green-eyed one. ~ oh, come on. ~ the golden-eyed one muttered. ~ by the way, you know I prefer to be called Mk. ~ she added. ~yes, yes.~the older one muttered.

~so... what exactly do you two have in common?~Red finally asked as Mk walked away from a group of people.~hm? I used to work for them to pay off the debt Bai He's parents owed to their family. Bai He and I lived with them for some time. ~ said the girl, and when she heard the music starting, she smiled wider. ~ what do you say to a little dance? ~ she asked, extending her hand to the boy. ~ I guess I should ask, ~ said the older one, accepting the mortal woman's hand and walking to the middle of the room.~I would never have expected you to know such influential people.~he stated, taking the brunette's other hand.~do you have any other secrets?~he asked immediately.~maybe yes, maybe no ?~Mk replied with a question, making the first turn.~From what I have already heard, your name is different. can I have this honor and find out about it? ~ asked the boy. ~ hm... I'll think about it ~ Mk said, giving the demon one of her cheeky smiles. ~ you know, at first glance you don't seem so mysterious. ~ he said after moment of silence.~oh, I'm a great actress. after all, my job required acting skills~Mk announced as Red Son tilted her slightly to the side.~what job for one of the largest companies in the world requires acting talents?~the demon asked ironically.~well... let's just say that, where you have to get a little dirty~ the girl replied mysteriously, with a joyful spark shining in her eyes. She was clearly enjoying this conversation.~Can you straighten it out a bit?~the boy asked.~hmm... let's just say I'm a lot more dangerous than you might think, sparkle~she stated, bringing her face closer to the prince's.

~why are you standing here? Don't tell me that you're bored with your own party? ~ asked the brunette, going out onto the terrace. ~ for no reason. ~ replied the demon. ~ I heard what happened. I've already sent several people to find Bai He.~he said after a while, without taking his eyes off the stars.~thanks, but you know we don't want to have anything to do with your organization.~the golden-eyed girl muttered, also leaning against the railing. at this time, Vex took a pack of cigarettes from his pocket ~ do you want one? ~ he asked, taking one out and giving the box to the girl. ~ I guess I shouldn't, but one won't make a difference ~ Mk said, also taking a joint. they stood in silence for a few minutes. it wasn't awkward or anything. they were both thoughts in the past. at a time when they were much closer to each other.~heh. I remember when we were at a similar party a few years ago, you had practically the same outfit. ~ the older one muttered after a while. ~ yeah. except that the difference was that we were supposed to clean someone up and not have fun~ the younger one said, a weak smile creeping onto her face.~remember Ira?~Vex asked suddenly.~hm? the one who resigned due to illness?~Mk asked to be sure, looking at her friend.~yes. I recently received a letter from her in which she wrote that she was cured. she said that if I knew someone with a similar disease, I should pass it on to that person.~he said, handing the girl the letter.~maybe you can be cured~he added as the golden-eyed girl let the piece of paper disappear into the shadow.~I'll think about it. now come, or they'll start to worry~ she replied, stubbing out the end of her cigarette and going inside.

~thanks for tonight~Mk muttered as she and Red Son stood in front of the passage to her apartment.~you're welcome. I really had a great time with you~ he replied, blushing slightly and looking away from the brunette. Mk laughed softly.~anyway,~she started, walking closer to the elder, and then standing on her tiptoes,she finished,~my name is Qi Xiaotian,~she finished, whispering into his ear. This behavior made the green-eyed man shiver, and his hair immediately caught fire. ~that's a beautiful name,~he stammered when he calmed down a bit.~I'm glad to hear that.~she stated, not taking her eyes off the demon's green irises. Mk didn't speak for a while, and then she left a kiss on the elder's cheek with a slight smile.~Thanks again, for everything. See you later~ she said, then went inside and the door closed behind her

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Mk was exhausted. she and the others had just finished cleaning up the remains of a giant dumpling that Wukong and Macaque had accidentally dropped from the heavenly worlds. and it's not like the girl knew perfectly well that they were lying and they didn't go on "vacation". somewhere in her heart she felt a twinge of betrayal. after all, Macaque had never lied to her before. he was always honest with her and Bai He. so why was he lying to her face now? a soft sigh escaped her lips as she turned around on her bed. something like this hurts. not physically, but somewhere inside. and it's worse than her illness.

when Mk opened her eyes again she was in some white room. it was cold here. very cold.~Hello!? Is anyone here?! ~ she shouted, and a moment later she heard someone crying. The golden-eyed girl knew this voice perfectly. ~Bai He!~ she shouted, immediately running after the sound. Within a moment, the girl noticed her sister. ~Bai He!~ she shouted, but before she could reach her sister, something wrapped around her wrist. then on the ankles. a wave of cold went through her body, and a scream tore from the brunette's throat, while unintelligible whispers reached her ears. it didn't take long for images of a completely destroyed city to appear before her eyes. Mei engulfed in black fire. Macaque half frozen. The Monkey King's screams could be heard in the distance, and someone's cries tugged at the seventeen-year-old's heart

Mk rose with a scream to a sitting position, only to be immediately followed by a wave of coughing that forced her to bend in half. the girl covered her mouth with her hand, and when the cough subsided, she looked at her hand. it was in the blood. she was able to feel the metallic taste on her tongue. the brunette cursed quietly, getting out of bed and heading to the lower floor. still feeling that wave of cold from sleep, but first she had to find her medication

entering a room filled with various types of drugs and medical equipment, the golden-eyed woman quickly found the appropriate liquid and a syringe, quickly filling the object with the medicine and then injecting it into the vein. a soft hiss escaped her lips as a wave of pain shot through her body.

being in the land of shadows Mk always felt somehow calmer. for the first time as she traveled through the shadows she felt... free. and safe. being in this desolate and dark land where others would normally have already screwed up their pants or kicked out of fear, Mk felt wanted. as if the shadows themselves were inviting her. and each time Mk happily accepted the invitation, hiding in the embrace of darkness. even Macaque admitted that he did not have such a strong connection with this type of magic, stating that the brunette had great talent. Shadow magic was the second thing on a two-item list of things Bai He didn't know about. the first was her illness. also now she wandered in a desolate land whose only source of light was the lamp of souls that Macaque had created. she remembered how great joy she felt when he let her use the item for the first time. a slight smile appeared on her face, but it immediately disappeared. she had to focus on finding Bai He. the shadow land is not much different from the day world. it's actually a black and purple reflection of the world, so all she had to do was find her sister's shadow wandering around somewhere.

~young, is everything okay?~Pigsy asked when the brunette visited them again.~it's been worse...~she just muttered, putting her head on the table.~are you sure? you look like you just got out of a train crash.~said Tang, without looking away from his bowl of noodles.~nice comparison.~said the golden-eyed girl, raising her head and looking at the couple. Pigsy, as always, was doing something in the kitchen, and Tang was eating every now and then, talking to the demon. a small smile crept onto her face. who knows, maybe if she and Bai He had stayed somewhere else that day, they would have been part of such a happy family?... which doesn't change the fact that it was also nice, just like before the blue-eyed girl disappeared. Mk has always liked watching Bai He happily chatting with others, making friends or just having fun. a soft sigh escaped her lips. sometimes she wondered what her life would be like if she had a biological family...?

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Mk knew that when she got angry, she couldn't control her strength. but she didn't think that someone could get a complete personality change from a simple blow! well, look at Zizhu - an arrogant, self-absorbed prince whose only interest is to fuck some pretty chick - now he was standing in front of her, apologizing for his behavior and asking for help in some matter for the good of his subjects. on the one hand, the golden-eyed girl knew that she should fuck him up, call him names and leave, but she agreed to help anyway. so now she followed the spider demon through the tunnels while the boy explained the current situation to her, while also making sure that other spiders did not approach them due to the girl's arachnophobia. it turns out that some demon in the form of a little girl was manipulating his mother. supposedly it was because of her intervention that they were able to take over the city during the new year. Well. after all, it was a threat. not only for the spiders, but also for her and her loved ones.~okay, we'll do that. You will get your mother away from this demon, and I will take care of it.~ she said, when they were slowly reaching the throne room. ~ are you sure you can handle it? ~ the prince asked hesitantly. ~ we'll see ~ the mortal muttered back, sneaking up to the entrance, however, she froze when she saw a familiar figure~Bai He...~ she whispered in shock. where did she come from? and what happened to her hair?~who?~Zizhu asked.~it's Bai He. my sister~explained Mk, staring at the figure of the girl, now with hair white as snow.~she went missing a little before the new year~she added, sensing that the prince didn't really understand what was going on~so...~he started, but Mk interjected ~we're sticking to the plan.~she said firmly.~are you sure?~the elder asked. The golden-eyed girl just murmured in response, which caused the boy to sigh.~Okay. but if something happens, call for help, okay? ~ he said, and seeing that Mk nodded in agreement, he headed to the room.

It wasn't long before Zizhu left the room with Spider Quenn. Mk waited a moment, then slowly headed inside.~Bai He...?~she whispered, drawing the girl's attention. she could already tell by her eyes that her sister was not in control of her body. despite everything, she still pretended not to realize anything.~Bai He!~she said louder, closing the younger one in a hug.~I'm so glad you're okay...~she whispered. her body temperature was much lower than that of humans. something to do with the ice? ~ are you okay? where have you been? You don't even know how worried we were about you.~ she said, carefully examining her sister's body, looking for any new wounds, and at the same time checking if there were any markings on the body that would help her find out what kind of demon it was. unfortunately, she didn't find anything.~I'm fine, Mk.~she replied with a smile. Mk looked at the girl's face for a moment. she's a really great actress. If it weren't for the fact that Mk is also like that, she wouldn't have noticed.~I'm glad. let's go home.~she said, extending her hand to Bai He, which she was about to grab when she suddenly seemed to remember something.~oh my! Mk! come! ~ she shouted hurriedly, running in some direction. Mk immediately ran after her.

~Spider Queenn is planning something. we have to stop it while we have the chance. ~ she said, running to the cauldron that was used to create an antidote to spider venom. ~ just one hit with the staff and it will be over. ~ she said, while Mk approached the cauldron. ~ okay. ~ she muttered, but she didn't move.~but before you do, tell me...~Bai He began, her typical tone of voice gone~what gave me the impression?~she asked.~hm? what do you mean? ~ Mk asked stupidly, turning to face the girl. ~ oh, don't pretend. We both know what it's about. ~ the younger one replied, her eyes coldly staring at the older one ~ honestly? I knew it from the very beginning. ~ Mk replied, pulling out her staff. ~ and now I would ask you to leave my sister's body ~ she hissed, pointing her weapon at the white-haired woman, but before she could do anything, everything turned blue and white smoke appeared everywhere. ~ I already know a little about you, Qi Xiaotian. ~she said. ~cold, distrustful, boorish, always approaches everything and everyone with distance, and at the same time warm, delicate and always helpful to your loved ones, for whom you are able to blur all the boundaries of your own humanity. you fight for what you think is right, and at the same time you question your own point of view.~she started, suddenly appearing behind the brunette~you are a really interesting person.~she stated, and when Mk turned to face her, she disappeared, and appeared a few centimeters above the brunette.~your whole life is shrouded in mystery.~she muttered as Mk turned to face her.~as if you didn't want people to know the real you.~she said, moving closer.~but is there even a real you? among so many lies and deceptions. fake smiles and friendship. fake relationships and emotions, hidden bloodlust and hatred...~she said with fake sadness~where is the real you?~she asked, standing a few centimeters in front of Mk, and grabbing her by the neck, she lifted her up.~you have quite an interesting talent to parts control your and others' destiny. that's why I can't let you live anymore~ she said, tightening her hand around the golden-eyed girl's neck, but as soon as she did that, the girl disappeared and a brown hair appeared instead.

~Mk? Is everything okay?~Zizhu asked, seeing the brunette.~yeah. but I don't think this is the best place to talk~ said the girl when the boy had already run up to her.

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Macaque sighed softly as he watched Wukong squeeze information from some immortal. he felt bad knowing that he had lied to Mk and that he hadn't told her the truth about what happened to Bai He. however, he knew that the girl would try to face the demoness and even, in an act of desperation, offer her own body so that Bai He would be in one piece, and he and Wukong couldn't allow that.~Do you have anything?~he asked, seeing that the redhead was approaching him. ~I'm not sure. I only got the location of her tomb. ~ he said, and seeing the bitter face of his old friend, he put his hand on his shoulder ~ don't worry, nothing will happen to them ~ he said, giving a slight smile to his shadow

~hmm... I see. what now? ~ Zizhu muttered, following Mk deeper into her apartment.
~first we have to find out who this demon is.~Mk said, stopping for a moment at a door.~out of curiosity, how deep is this place?~the demon asked.~about twenty-five floors. in each from ten to twenty rooms~she replied, finally opening the right door.~that's... quite a lot~the black-haired one noticed.~yeah. I don't know who lived here, but he prepared a perfect place for me and Bai He to live.~Mk said~but we don't usually use all the rooms. we only use the upper ones ~ she added, entering the huge library. ~ you know a thing or two about demons, right? ~ she said, breaking Zizhu from his trance. ~ of course I do. ~ the elder replied to her. ~ great. ~

~Lady Bone Demon...~Mk muttered, reading the name of the found figure.~that's her name~she added, looking sideways at Zizhu.~now you will contact the Monkey King and Macaque and get rid of her, right?~he asked.~ I have no intention of talking to them ~ the golden-eyed girl replied. ~ what?! why?! ~ shouted the older one. ~ because they lost my trust. ~ the brunette replied ~ and I don't cooperate with someone who has lost my trust. give me some time and I will find a solution. During this time, you should look for a safe hiding place for yourself and the rest of your family. Don't trust anything she says and be ready to evacuate your people at any moment.~she recommended.~He's not someone we can face alone or without a proper plan, but we don't need these two for that~she added.

72 transformations and the ability to shrink. Additionally, the experience from her old job as an assassin made Mk undetectable, so she could easily sneak underground with Zizhu's help and collect information about LBD. over the past two months, they have managed to find and secure two hideouts that the Bone Demon cannot reach. one for spiders and the other for inhabitants. this was their plan B. they were slowly preparing for a battle they couldn't avoid. During this time, Mk had the opportunity to get to know the spider demon a little and even become friends with him. They trained together and looked for a way to exorcise the demonesses from Bai He's body. knowing that Zizhu was no longer trying to make Mk his wife was really nice, and she had truly accepted him as a friend. of course, she still had a slight distance, but it wasn't as noticeable anymore.~it would be much easier if we could get to Diyu or the Heavenly Worlds~the green-eyed man muttered, going through their current information.~yeah. I got some information from Vex, but it didn't change much~ said the golden-eyed girl, scanning all the information again.~ugh! What the hell are books if they don't contain any information useful in life?! ~ she shouted, lying on the floor in frustration. Zizhu sighed softly.~I don't believe I'm saying this, but we could really use Sun Wukong right now.~he muttered, also lying down on the floor next to the mortal woman.~it seems that we have to wait for her move...~he added quietly, after then he looked at the brunette. ~I think we could use a moment of rest. How about some cake and tea?~ he asked, trying to somehow cheer the girl up.

For the next month, Bone Demon made no move, but Mk began training seriously with the team. she didn't tell them the truth, she simply suggested training together so that next time something happened they would be able to protect others, which they gladly agreed to. Zizhu, on the other hand, helped her with the final improvements to the shelters. Right now she was sitting in the old theater where Macaque used to perform.~what are you doing here, child?~a voice asked. Mk didn't even turn around. she knew that the Mayor had been watching her for some time. ~your Mistress told you to make sure I wasn't plotting against her?~she replied with a question, not moving at all. when Mk does something, she makes sure that it is done right down to the last button, and that no one, uninvited, sticks their nose into her affairs. ~did she know that he was watching her...?~the man muttered.~I am a good observer myself.~she said with a smile. ~and now, what do you want?~she asked, finally looking at the man sitting next to her. this time he smiled ~ my Lady would like to make a deal with you ~

Mk knew from the very beginning that the shelter would be useful. when Mk once again faced LBD, she suggested that they join forces. apparently she finally recognized her as a real threat. Mk, of course, refused, and at that time the Bone Demon errand dog started hunting spiders. Zizhu, of course, reacted immediately and evacuated everyone, then helped the girl escape. Mk herself asked him to focus on his subjects now and not on her and LBD, which he finally did after some persuasion. Meanwhile, Mk changed the security and passwords to her apartment, and then, packing the most necessary things, she temporarily went to another hiding place that she had prepared after Bai He went missing and which no one knew about. Bone Demon made her move and they made theirs - blocking her first blow.Despite everything, Mk has not faced such a demanding opponent for a long time. No, it's not about fighting, it's about strategy. of the ability to predict the opponent's movements. about this uncertainty as to whether you will definitely win, putting your life and the lives of others on the line. about that thrill she hadn't felt in so many years. Lady Bone Demon was a really big threat and a dangerous opponent, which earned her some respect from the girl. she met her last such opponent a few years ago, during the great massacre in the Dao clan, which only added to the thrill of facing such a demanding opponent again. what could she say? while working as an assassin, she also picked up some... not so healthy habits. she may have lost her staff, but she gained knowledge of the Bone Demon's plans and was able to learn something about it. it's a fair price. so now she was staring at the giant robot that was slowly freezing the city. Mk distracted the Bone Lady and her dog while the rest of her friends evacuated the city to the indicated address. the orange warm sunset was eclipsed by the cold and icy blue. Mk suffered some serious wounds during the fight with these two, but that wasn't a problem at the moment. she's been through worse.

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there will definitely be scars after this, but Mk still had to make sure that everyone evacuated the city. she probably already had several fractures and dislocations, but the adrenaline perfectly negated any pain, thanks to which Mk was still able to distract Lady Bone Demon and her minion. a few open or closed wounds won't make a difference. she's been through worse. ~ come on! Is that all you can afford?! ~ she shouted defiantly. ~ I thought you would be a more demanding opponent! ~ she added, again negating the Mayor's attack. ~ just like HIM? ~ LBD asked with a mocking smile. Mk shuddered for a second at the memory of her ex, but after a while it was replaced by a mocking smile~exactly!~the brunette shouted back, ready to deal another blow to her Bone Demon pet, when suddenly something tugged at her. Before long, the smell of mangoes and the forest reached her nose.~Macaque?~she asked, and in response she was only hugged tighter to the elder's chest.~everything cub?~someone else's voice asked.~Monkey King?~she murmured, but before she could answer they started to fall.

the fight against Ne Zha was challenging. luckily Wukong was able to take the map.~heh. keep training and maybe you'll be able to beat us~the redhead said, and at that moment the warm orange of the sunset was replaced with a cool blue.~cub.~they said at the same moment, and before the lotus prince could react, the two monkey demons left the heavenly realm as heading towards the giant robot as quickly as possible. Before long, Macaque heard the brunette's voice, and just a few seconds later he was able to spot the Mk. she was injured. very very injured. the cub was injured. his cub was in danger.~Macaque! get over yourself! ~ Wukong shouted, and only then did he realize that they were about to fly past the Mk. Macaque didn't think long. as soon as the golden-eyed girl was within arm's reach, he pulled her by the arm and hid her in his arms. he heard her say something, but he just pulled her closer. they need to find somewhere safe. but where? Wukong himself was already at the end of his rope, and they were... where exactly? before he knew it the cloud had disappeared and they began to fall.

Wukong knew perfectly well that he wouldn't last long. luckily he was able to spot his friends' Mk flying ship. he immediately started heading towards it. when they were close the cloud disappeared and they began to fall. Wukong instinctively wrapped his arms around the two passengers, protecting them from landing hard on the ship.

left leg broken. sprained ankle in the right one. right shoulder dislocated. numerous cuts and bruises and a large plum under the eye. Macaque and Wukong were better. of course, Mei Pigsy and Sandy had to use bandages to cover up their open wounds, but they still looked better than the Mk. what is she going to say? adrenaline is great for relieving pain. The Monkey King explained where they were and how to defeat the Bone Demon, but she didn't listen. she didn't want to listen. They've already lied once, so why wouldn't they do it again? she felt the dark-haired monkey's eyes on her, but she ignored it. she knew that after some time she would forgive him anyway. the shadow master meant too much to her for one lie to destroy their relationship, but it didn't change the fact that she was still angry and she still felt a twinge of betrayal in her heart, which would probably stay with her for some time.~how are you doing?~Mei asked, sitting down next to her friend.~it's been worse.~she replied, and then there was a moment of silence.~all residents are safe.~said the green-haired girl, looking at the night sky.~did you know this would happen?~she asked, looking at the brunette.~I had a premonition. I wasn't sure what exactly was going to happen, but I knew she would attack eventually.~she replied, also looking at the stars.~why didn't you tell me? I would help~Mei asked. Mk didn't answer for a moment, looking for the right words. ~I thought I had time. that I will be able to free Bai He from the Bone Demon's power before all this happens. I wanted to make sure she was safe before I went into battle.~she confessed, closing her eyes.~Bai He has been with you since you were little, right? On the one hand, I'm not surprised. I would like to first make sure that my family is safe before something dangerous happens. but on the other hand, I could help you. we all. we are a team, and we will support you no matter what happens, Mk. ~ replied Mei, putting her hand on the golden-eyed girl's shoulder and giving her a warm smile, which Mk returned after a moment.~we'll get Bai He back and make everything go back to normal~ she added after a while. the beautiful silence was broken by the sound of an explosion.~what is it?!~Tang shouted, and after a while everyone was able to see Mayor, riding on some sort of flying scooter.~no! him again?~Mk groaned, getting upright.~wasn't he bored after the last fight?~she added, seeing the man jump from his vehicle onto their ship.~forgive me for interrupting, but my mistress told me to bring your friend to her .~said the gray-haired man, while his icy eyes glittered dangerously.~I have to kick your ass again so that you will learn not to mess with me and my family?~the girl asked loudly, taking the pipe in her working hand.~oh no, no! you won't fight in this condition! ~ said Macaque, immediately appearing next to the girl to immediately put her in the safest place, i.e. at the other end of the ship. ~ and since when are you in charge here? ~ the girl asked ironically. ~ he's right Mk. you should focus on regeneration.~Pigsy said, not taking his eyes off the opponent.~heh. If Mk could easily kick your ass, then I can do it even more. ~ said the ginger monkey, attacking the man.

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unfortunately, it turned out that the Monkey King and Macaque were temporarily unable to use their powers, so Mk and Mei reacted, which unfortunately ended with them now standing in front of the entrance to the palace of the Dragon of the East, aka great-great-great and a thousand times great-grandfather Mei, Ao Lie brother- Ao Guang. ~ in other words, we're screwed ~ Mk muttered to Mei, to which she nodded. anger was already visible on the dragon's face at the sight of the Great Sage. if I remember correctly, Bai He mentioned that he "borrowed" his wonderful staff from that dragon and the dragon was clearly furious that the monkey lost it.~em... sorry to interrupt, but he wasn't the one who lost the staff~Mk interjected when the dragon finished yelling at the monkey king~I lost him during the fight with Lady Bone Demon.~she explained, feeling the elder's angry gaze on her. after all, she didn't care about it.~You gave your strongest weapon to a mortal child?!~the elder asked angrily, shifting his gaze to the king again, and their "cute" conversation began again. the brunette just sighed quietly. why is it always so difficult to reach adults?

one moment Mk was standing next to the others, surrounded by the green dragon created by Mei, and the next she was sitting in a medical room where one of Ao Guang's subjects was tending to her wounds. ~the fracture is very serious. it's a miracle that she's still able to walk. ~ he muttered to himself, but the brunette heard it anyway. ~ whatever. worse things have happened ~ the girl answered him, without even looking at him. ~ where did they take Mei? ~ she asked after a while. ~ is it about his majesty's relative? I think she was taken to a seamstress to give her appropriate clothing for a dragon clan~he replied.~if I may ask, where did these scars on your body come from?~he asked.~I had a small quarrel with someone. no big deal~she replied immediately, the same thing she said to Macaque when he asked about it. the subject said nothing, just returned his attention to her wounds.

Mei had to admit, THIS DRESS IS AMAZING!!!!!! she would love to stay here for a while and rummage through other clothes, but she needs to retrieve the map and find the Mk. so, leaving the seamstress locked in the closet, she left the room in search of a map so they would have time to tend to her friend's injuries.

as soon as the servant took the golden-eyed girl to her room and gave her clean clothes, the girl closed her eyes, trying to find the position of her friends. Sandy and Mo were with two guards. probably because he was the strongest, after the two monkeys they ordered him to take care of the destroyed ship. Pigsy Tang Mihou and Wukong were in the same place, most likely in prison or something. Mei, on the other hand, stood still. Mk smiled and used shadow magic to move to her friend.~hey~she said, emerging from the girl's shadow. the green-eyed girl screamed in surprise. ~Mk?! what are you - how?! ~ she asked. ~ what? You didn't think that knowing the master of shadows I wouldn't know a few of his tricks, did you? ~ muttered the brunette with her typical "I'll surprise you again" smile, creating a walking stick out of shadows so she could walk with her leg in a cast. ~ heh. I could have expected this. Overall, your dress is nice ~ she said, seeing the red-orange dress with a purple dragon. ~ yours isn't bad either. ~ Mk said, and then looked at the huge entrance. ~ so... shall we go in? ~ she asked, to which Mei nodded. , heading towards the door first. ~okay. take the map, find the rest and go away ~ the black-haired girl muttered. ~ I already have the location of the rest. we just need to take the map and find the vehicle. ~ the golden-eyed girl announced, and seeing that her friend didn't move, she also approached her. ~ go get the rest and wait outside palace. I'll take the map and join you~ said the black-haired girl.~ you'll be passing Sandy and Mo, so I'll go get the others. does it suit you? ~ suggested Mk. she also felt the aura of the dragon king. apparently Mei needs to sort it out herself~okay~Mei replied, and Mk turned to disappear into the shadows. However, before she said it, she looked at her friend. ~You can handle it. ~She said and then disappeared into the shadows. when she came out of the shadows she was standing in front of the cell.~they didn't even leave a guard?~she muttered and then opened the door.~hey.~she said as the others looked towards the door.~you know the door was open all the time, right?~she asked

as soon as Mk was gone, Mei took a deep breath and went inside. the map was there. so does her relative.~Do you really think you can rob me?~the king asked, turning to the girl.~I'm not robbing you. I'm taking what belongs to us~ the girl replied, then moved towards the map. despite her speed, when she was about to take the map, she was pushed to the end of the room. ~I don't want to fight you. give me the map and I'll go.~she said, drawing her sword anyway.~you're a member of the Dragon Clan! you should be faithful to your family! ~ said Ao Guang. ~ I am devoted to my family! but also to my friends. we have to stop Lady Bone Bemon! ~ the teenager shouted back. ~ there is no way to stop her! her strength is beyond our capabilities! ~ shouted the king. ~ maybe. but that doesn't change the fact that you have to try! Mk already kicked her ass once, and seeing as her sister is in danger, she'll do it again. she fights to protect her loved ones, even when there is no chance of winning! and I'm going to do the same! ~ she shouted, moving towards the map again.

Chapter Text

Mk sat quietly, staring at the surface of the river. After Ao Guang sacrificed himself so they could escape, they managed to find a safe place to spend the night. Mei sat next to her, also gazing at the water.
~We’ll fix everything.~ Mk declared, though deep down, she was slowly losing faith. Wukong and Macaque couldn’t use their powers. Sandy, Pigsy, and Tang had no experience, and although they were trying to help as best as they could, they were consumed by their own thoughts. Mei was still processing what had happened in the palace. She must have had a pretty tough conversation with her relative. Bai He had been possessed, and Mk couldn’t find a way to free her. Meanwhile, she herself sat in a cast, unable to control her powers without revealing things that had to remain secret. She hated that feeling—the feeling of helplessness. She always found a solution. Why couldn’t she now? What had changed?
~Girls, let’s move,~ said Macaque, walking away from the group that was packing their things into the vehicle. Mk tore her gaze from the water and raised her head to look at her friend. After a few seconds, Mei did the same. The girls exchanged reassuring smiles, and then the dark-haired girl helped Mk to her feet.

Okay. Maybe staying the night at the DBK fortress is a good idea. Mei will get some rest, Macaque will talk to family, and she can calmly retrieve the first ring of Shamadia.
~You should rest,~ Red Son remarked as soon as the brunette left her room.
~Were you planning to stand there all night?~ Mk asked, ignoring the demon’s earlier comment.
~No. I... I wanted to talk to you,~ he replied, averting his gaze from the girl in front of him.
~Sure. What’s up?~ Mk asked, leaning against the wall.
~Th-this isn’t a good place to talk,~ he muttered, still not looking at her.

Mk had to admit that Red Son’s workshop was very well-equipped.
~So, what’s on your mind, little flame?~ she asked, making herself comfortable in a chair by the desk.
~It’s about the mark,~ the redhead replied, involuntarily glancing at the girl’s neck and blushing slightly.
~I’m listening,~ Mk said, her expression turning a little more serious as she looked at the demon.
~W-well... how do I put this...~ he started, his face slowly turning the same shade as his hair, from the ends of which small sparks occasionally flew.
~Just spit it out. I’ve got other things to deal with,~ the golden-eyed girl urged him. She still needed to retrieve the Shamadia ring.
~It’s about... um... completing the mark!~ he yelled, his hair igniting into live flames as his face turned completely red.
~Completing?~ Mk asked, focusing entirely on the boy in front of her.
~Um... y-you see... how to explain...?~ he mumbled, more engrossed in fiddling with his hands than anything else.
~Clearly?~ Mk suggested.
~R-right...~ he began, taking a deep breath.
~The mark consists of two parts. The first is leaving the mark on a partner, which shows that the person is taken, but it can still be replaced. The second part... um... the second part involves... er... a night together...?~ he stammered, glancing nervously at the golden-eyed girl, who hadn’t taken her gaze off him for even a second.
~So it’s about sex?~ Mk asked bluntly, causing the demon’s blush to deepen even further (if that was even possible).
~M-more or less...~ he mumbled, focusing intensely on a very interesting wall. Mk just sighed.
~After marking, there are moments for some time where... where...~ Red Son started again but stumbled on the words.
~Okay,~ Mk sighed, standing up.
~Thanks for the info, little flame. I’ll keep it in mind,~ she said, heading towards the door.
~W-wait! It’s just that the first period starts soon, and-~ he began, but Mk interrupted him, turning sharply and glaring at the redhead.
~So, you want to sleep with me?~ she asked, and Red Son was sure that if looks could kill, he’d be dead. How is this girl so terrifying?
~N-no!~ he denied, waving his hands.
~I-I just-~ he started but was interrupted again.
~Listen, Red,~ Mk began, approaching him, and the demon was sure her golden eyes had turned blood-red for a moment...

~Well, congratulations. You’ve just sent your son to his death,~ Macaque commented, picking up his tea.
~What do you mean? That thief should know what comes with marking,~ DBK remarked, sitting across from his old friend.
~I agree,~ PIF nodded, and Macaque just sighed.
~I’m not saying she shouldn’t know. I’m just saying your son might not survive that conversation,~ he replied calmly.
~Mk is... quite sensitive about THAT topic. She’s the kind of person whose defense is attack,~ he explained.
~Especially now, without Bai He. Without her, the girl is emotionally unpredictable.~ He added, shifting his gaze to his brother.
~Besides, you saw what she did to Spider Quinn’s robot.~ At these words, Macaque noticed a slight shudder run through the demon.
~I still wonder how much strength it takes to do that much damage with just hairpins...~ he muttered, which caused a soft chuckle from his sister.
~But don’t worry. If the kid survives, Mk will explain everything to him once she’s sorted it all out in her head,~ he declared.

~In other words, you messed up,~ Mei summarized after Red Son explained what had happened.
~Mk’s like that sometimes. Give her time, and she’ll reach out to you,~ she added, but the demon wasn’t convinced.
~What if she never talks to me again?!~ he asked, pacing back and forth while Mei didn’t take her eyes off her phone.
~Trust me. I don’t know what Mk’s past relationships were like, but I know they didn’t end well. You can tell she cares about you. Give her time to process everything.~ The black-haired girl said as she stood up from the chair.
~I’m going to sleep. Bye.~ Then she left.

~Hey, kid,~ Macaque muttered when Mk emerged from his shadow.
~I was wondering when you’d show up,~ he added, but got no reply. Instead, he felt someone hug him.
~Sorry for being rude,~ she mumbled softly.
~I’m sorry too. I should have told you the truth right away,~ the demon replied, resting his head on hers and closing his eyes. They remained in comfortable silence for a long moment.
~You just wanted to make sure nothing would happen to me. You’ve been gone so long, I forgot I could count on you,~ the golden-eyed girl mumbled.
~Heh. I forgot that you always do things your own way,~ Macaque commented with a quiet laugh.
~You should rest,~ he added, hugging her tighter and quietly humming.
~Good night, Dad...~ Mk murmured before falling asleep.

~Hey Red,~ he heard someone’s voice behind him. The boy jumped slightly before turning around.
~O-oh. Mk, good morning,~ he greeted her.
~Where’s your cast?~ he asked, immediately noticing the girl no longer had a bandage on her injured leg.
~I don’t need it anymore,~ she stated.
~But that’s not what I wanted to talk about,~ she added, looking straight into the boy’s green eyes.
~I-~ she started, but he interrupted her.
~I’m sorry! I shouldn’t have brought up that topic! If I had known it was sensitive, I would have found a different way to convey the information! I’m really sorry!~ he shouted, bowing his head before the brunette. There was silence for a moment, broken only by the girl’s sigh.
~You don’t need to apologize. I was tired and on edge, and I wasn’t in control,~ she said calmly. As the boy stood upright, Mk approached him and, standing on her tiptoes, leaned in close to his ear.
~Bring it up again after everything is over. I promise the answer will please you,~ she whispered, then pulled back and placed a soft kiss on his cheek.
~See you,~ she muttered with her typical smirk before walking past him. Red Son stood still for a moment, processing what had just happened, then quickly turned around and grabbed her wrist.
~Wait!~ he shouted. Mk stopped and turned her head towards him.
~Yes?~ she asked, and all the words flew out of the boy’s head the moment she looked at him again.
~W-what about the ring?~ he asked, saying the first thing that came to mind, causing the girl to laugh melodically.
~That’s probably not what you wanted to ask,~ she said, leaning in closer to his face again.
~Ten seconds,~ she said before bringing their lips together.

Chapter Text

Maybe kissing Red Son wasn’t the best idea. Especially since the boy completely lost touch with reality, and Mei spent the rest of their journey chirping about romances, kids, godparents, and something else. The girl promised herself and Mei that when Mei falls in love, she would repay her in kind, though Mei just ignored it. Well, at least her friend was in a better mood. She had taken Shamadia’s ring early in the morning, and it was safely hidden in her hideout, which she could access using shadow magic. She left DBK a perfect copy, which he gave to Mihou in the morning. Well, better safe than sorry, as they say.

~Hey team!! We got the first ring!!~ Mei shouted happily upon seeing Sandy. ~Oh! Mei, Mk, Maqacue. I’m glad you’re all okay,~ Sandy said cheerfully, while Mk noticed Mihou grimace slightly at the mispronunciation of his name. The girl just rolled her eyes as Mei ran over to Mo. ~Young one! Good to see you all. We’ve got a little problem with the Monkey King,~ Pigsy said, stepping out from behind the car. ~There’s always a problem with that idiot,~ Macaque remarked, making Pigsy grimace. He was about to say something when a shout interrupted him. ~Mihou!!!~ And in the next moment, the shadow master was trapped in a tight embrace. ~Where have you been?! One moment I was on our island, and the next, among these mortals! They talked about you, but you were nowhere to be found! Don’t disappear again!~ he shouted, burying his face in the dark fur of the demon.~Pigsy tried to wake him from meditation, and I think he regressed back to the times before JTTW,~ Tang announced, not even looking up from his book. However, by the tone of his voice, Mk could tell that he had already given up and was simply trying to ignore everything around him. The girl turned her gaze back to her father, seeing the pleading look on his face, begging for help. She chuckled softly, but finally decided to help him out. ~Alright, that’s enough cuddling,~ she said, approaching the two demons. The King turned his gaze toward her, and before she could react, the redhead let out an excited squeal, then started running in circles around the golden-eyed girl. ~What an adorable cub!~ he exclaimed in excitement. ~Mihou, did you bring her?~ he asked, looking at the other demon. But before Mihou could answer, the King continued. ~So that’s why you suddenly disappeared, and I woke up in a different place? I didn’t think you’d gone to bring us a child! And such a cute one!~ he said joyfully, then picked up the girl and hugged her. ~She looks just like us!~ he added, looking at Mihou with twinkling eyes.~Okay, that’s enough,~ Mk said, trying unsuccessfully to wriggle out of his embrace. ~Mac, can you help?~ she finally asked, still trying to get free. ~Ah! Yes, yes, I’m helping,~ muttered the older one, approaching the pair. ~Wukong, let her go,~ he said calmly, while the girl gave him a "you’ve got to be kidding me" look. ~Hm? Why should I?~ the immortal asked, tilting his head slightly. ~Because she’s not your child,~ the violet-eyed demon responded. Wukong was silent for a moment, then glanced at her friends. ~That’s her family?~ he asked, then smiled. ~Well, in that case, let’s get rid of them and go back to the island,~ he said cheerfully. At those words, Mk tensed up, instinctively grabbing him by the neck. ~Touch them, and I’ll kill you,~ she hissed, a blood-red hue flashing across her pupils. ~You can’t kill me. I’m immortal,~ the king replied with a smile, but his grin faded when he saw her expression. ~Xiaotian,~ Maqacue said calmly, and seeing that the girl was listening, he continued. ~No one’s killing anyone.~

Once the situation calmed down and everything was explained, the group continued their journey, looking for a way to restore the Monkey King’s memories. Everything was going well. They had managed to obtain the second ring, and at the moment, everyone was settling down to sleep. Everything was fine, except for one thing. ~Could you kindly leave my hair alone?~ Mk asked as Wukong, once again, sat her on his lap and started playing with her hair. ~No. Someone needs to take groom it,~ he replied melodiously. Macaque used to do that when they were younger with Bai He... sometimes in the evenings, he would just sit them down and do something with their hair. At first, the girl tried to escape Wukong because it was something between her, Bai He, and their dad, but she gave up after a few failed attempts. She could feel her father’s scrutinizing gaze on them. After a short while, he approached them. ~You’re doing it wrong,~ he said, lifting the girl and squeezing himself between her and the king. ~I’ll handle it,~ he added, sitting Mk on his lap and starting to do what Wukong had been doing. The king, meanwhile, sat behind Mihou and began grooming his fur. Mk just sighed and started looking around for her friend.

Well... Mk is known for her patience, but even she has limits. And who would have thought that dropping a massive boulder from a few kilometers up on the King would be enough to restore his memory, and give her a deep sense of satisfaction from revenge?

Chapter Text

~So, we just need to reach that big mountain, and it'll be over?~ Mei asked, staring at the view outside the train window. ~Mhm! We'll grab the fire, and once and for all defeat Lady Bich-Bone Demon,~ the redhead replied. ~Is it just me, or do I have a bad feeling about this?~ Mk muttered, carefully observing the king. ~No,~ Macaque responded, also not taking his eyes off his majesty. ~I wasn't there when the flame was split, but I'm convinced we'll need a container,~ he added in a low voice so only the girl with the golden eyes could hear. ~Like LBD did with Bai He...~ the younger girl whispered to herself, her gaze instinctively shifting to Mei. The girl was trying to stay positive, but ever since her first contact with the rings, she'd started behaving strangely. Maybe Mk should hide the rest of them too...? Just to be safe. Her thoughts were interrupted by a sudden attack, and a girl with a spear appeared in the train car. She started arguing with Wukong, then turned her attention to Mk.
~Give me the rings, child~ she commanded, appearing right in front of Mk in a second. ~What rings?~ Mk asked dumbly, twirling one of them in her hand, a mocking grin spreading across her face. Before the pink girl could respond, everything around them turned blue, and a familiar psychic laugh echoed in the air.
~I didn't think you'd make it this far~ the voice stated.

The situation was, to put it mildly, dire. Wukong was fighting the pink-haired girl over the fake rings, Macaque was battling for control over his body while fighting Mk, exchanging a few hurtful words with her, and everyone but Mk had a strange sense of déjà vu. After another blow, Mk fell, unable to stand again, while Macaque, controlled by LBD, passed her and attacked Mei, forcing Tang to read some spell. Knowing nothing would work without the third ring, Mk focused on drawing a circle. Unlike her sister, who was personally possessed, Macaque had merely lost control of his body. She could see it in his eyes during their fight. He was suffering too, which meant Bone Demon didn't have full control over him. Mk silently thanked Emily for her obsession with seals and soul fusion spells, as it allowed her to create a circle that would free her father from control. But then, suddenly, a sharp pain hit her chest.
~"Damn it,"~ she hissed, tasting the metallic flavor of blood in her mouth. Why did her illness have to flare up now?! she asked herself as a coughing fit began to tear at her throat, droplets of blood falling onto the stone floor. She heard someone's desperate scream, and black flames surrounded her. In the background, she could see a half-frozen figure of her father. When she lifted her head, she saw the source of the black flames. It was Mei. The girl was hovering in the air, shouting something at Wukong, the pink-haired girl, and Macaque, who had returned to normal, tears streaming down her face and quickly evaporating from the heat. She... was suffering. She was in agony. Mk didn't think twice and immediately got up, rushing toward her friend.

~"Hey, do you come here often?"~ Bai He asked, once again seeing the black-haired girl on the beach near their current home. The girl was always alone, staring out at the sea. Bai He and her sister often came to the beach at sunrise or sunset to collect seashells, amber, and other treasures from the ocean to sell.
~"Hm?"~ the girl mumbled, snapping out of her thoughts and blankly looking at her sister.
~"I'm Bai He,"~ her sister introduced herself, smiling and extending a hand to the stranger. Mk could tell from her face that the girl had problems. Normally she would have ignored it, but when she looked into those empty green irises, something stirred inside her. She and Mk made eye contact for a moment.
~"Qi Xiaotian, but my friends call me Mk,"~ she introduced herself, smiling softly at the girl, her golden eyes glinting with understanding of whatever the girl was going through.
~"I-I'm Xiaojiao, but I prefer Mei,"~ the black-haired girl said, shaking Bai He's hand.
~"Nice to meet you, Mei. Since you're here, want to help us?"~ the blue-eyed girl asked with a grin.
~"W-what with?"~ Mei asked, to which Bai He grinned even wider.

Mk ignored the others’ shouts and the hand on her shoulder, which she quickly shrugged off.
~Mei!~ she shouted.

~"Mk!"~ Mei yelled back, emerging from the water and swimming to the shore.
~"Look what I found!"~ she cried happily, her black-and-green hair glistening in the sunlight.
~"How are your hair not wet?"~ Bai He asked, suddenly appearing on her friend’s shoulders, running her hands through her hair. Mei only laughed melodiously.
~"I come from a family of dragons,"~ she stated, as if that explained everything.
~"Anyway, look at this,"~ she said, showing them three colorful stones—one blue, one honey-colored, and one green.
~"They won’t sell on the market, but they’ll make perfect friendship bracelets,"~ she announced.
~"Friendship bracelets?"~ Mk repeated.
~"What’s that?"~ Bai He asked, which caused another round of laughter from the oldest in the group.

~I know what it’s like! Having a power that could kill,~ she began as her clothes began to burn away in the flames. Her makeup vanished from the heat, and the gloves that hid the scars on her hands burned away too.
~But you’re not alone in this! I’m here! And I know if Bai He were here too, she’d smack you for letting yourself be pushed around! You’re Long Xiaojiao! Some stupid sparks won’t defeat you!~ she yelled, hugging her friend.
~Don’t you remember...?~ she whispered softly.

~"Day or night,"~ Bai He began.
~"In snow or rain,"~ Mk continued.
~"In health or sickness, in joy or pain,"~ Mei added.
~"in happiness or misfortune,"~ Bai He said, and all three of them finished together,
~"We’ll always be together!"~ Mei and Bai He smiled brightly, admiring their bracelets as if they were the most important thing in the world. Mk smiled slightly, glancing from the girls to her bracelet. Maybe Mihou wasn’t here, maybe they didn’t have much, and maybe Mk had trust issues, but maybe... Mei was the one exception? The one person who wouldn’t leave and wouldn’t expect anything...?

~Together forever... no matter what...~ she whispered into Mei’s ear, and then she felt someone’s arms around her. The fire burned painfully on her skin, but she didn’t care. The fire slowly died down, and Mk heard crying. All the pain and anger began to flow out with her tears. Both of them knelt down, still hugging each other.
~I’m sorry...~ Mei whispered, and after a moment, Mk felt emptiness in her arms...

Mei had run away...

Chapter Text

~Mk! Are you okay?~ Pigsy shouted but froze as he looked at the teenager, just like everyone else, except for Macaque, who was unconscious.
~Mk...~ Tang whispered, his eyes filled with pure dread.
~What?~ the girl asked, rising from her knees. It wasn’t until she felt some fabric on her back that she realized most of her clothes had burned away, leaving all her scars visible, including fresh burns, likely third or fourth degree.
~What happened to you...?~ the pink one asked weakly.
~This isn’t a conversation for now,~ she said, wrapping the blanket around herself more tightly.
~So what now, Wukong?~ she asked, turning to the king. He just stood there, staring toward Megapolis.
~Mk...~ he began quietly, but the girl heard him.
~Sometimes, if you want to save others, you have to sacrifice someone... I’m sorry,~ he said, and before the girl could understand what he meant, he flew away.

So, Mk found out that the mysterious girl was actually a guy. Ne Zha, to be exact, and she didn’t mess around when it came to reaching Megapolis to save her sister, which led to her dragging him along since he was the only one with a vehicle. The good news was that Bai He survived. The bad news was that Wukong got possessed, and Ne Zha became an ice statue. The good news was that in the Shadow Realm, she was able to find Mei peacefully. Mei was with Red Son, and apparently, they were training. A wave of relief washed over Mk upon seeing that her friend was safe, and she couldn’t help but laugh at their expressions when she emerged from the shadows. Did she mention that Red Son had a nosebleed and passed out at the sight of her in nothing but a blanket? No? Well, now you know. The girl quickly explained the situation, but before she could finish, Mei was kidnapped by possessed Wukong, leaving her here—sitting next to Red Son, trying not to pass out while still wrapped in a blanket, her head resting on the boy’s shoulder. When the adrenaline wore off, her body gave out, leaving her stuck in one place with the demon. She didn’t even realize when she lost consciousness…

Warmth. That was the first thing that came to her mind, and still half-asleep, she snuggled closer to the source of heat, inhaling the pleasant scent of burnt wood and cinnamon.
~You should rest,~ someone said. Mk just murmured something, burying her head deeper into the comforting warmth, the feeling of safety making her not even want to open her eyes to see who had spoken. It was warm and safe. When was the last time she had felt like this? A quiet laugh reached her ears, and then a hand tangled gently in her hair. Mk murmured again at the pleasant sensation before falling back asleep.

When Mk woke up again, she realized she was in a bed. A very comfortable bed. The second thing she noticed was someone’s long red hair and arms holding her close to a chest. As she managed to lift her head, she saw the sleeping face of Red Son. Heat immediately spread across her face, and her body tensed up. The boy mumbled something, hugging her tighter and burying his face in her brown hair.
~Uh... um...~ Mk started, trying to form words. Suddenly, another realization struck her. SHE WASN’T WEARING CLOTHES!! She tried to wriggle out of his embrace when Red mumbled again.
~I told the maid to give you a nightgown. I swear on my family name I didn’t peek...~ he said sleepily, reluctantly pulling away to look at her.
~Do you feel better?~ he asked, smiling softly. Mk allowed herself to get lost in his eyes for a moment before quickly averting her gaze and sitting up.
~Yes,~ she replied, turning her head away from the boy, who was still staring at her.
~If you keep staring at me like that, I’ll gouge your eyes out,~ she hissed, and Red immediately looked away, frightened.

For a moment, silence hung in the air. Mk was about to say something when a wave of pain coursed through her body, and she started coughing. Her golden eyes immediately covered her mouth with her hand, doubling over. In no time, Red Son was beside her, trying to help, but he froze when he saw blood.

~Ask me whatever you want,~ Mk sighed after the coughing subsided, and Red handed her a carton of orange juice. When he didn’t reply, she turned her head to him. The demon sat a bit away from her, not taking his eyes off the floor. Mk just rolled her eyes and scooted closer to him.
~How... how long has this been going on...?~ he asked weakly. Mk shrugged.
~I don’t remember. Probably forever,~ she answered honestly, and an awkward silence followed.
~Is that... why you’re... like this?~ he asked after a long pause, lifting his head to look at the girl beside him. For a few seconds, Mk was silent before sighing.
~More or less. I’ve been through a lot in life, and none of it was pleasant. This... illness is one of them. It’s slowly killing me from the inside out,~ she said.
~It’s also one of the reasons I don’t want to get into any relationships,~ she added after a moment, pulling her knees to her chest and resting her head on them.
~... because you don’t know how much time you have left...?~ Red asked softly.
~More or less. I just don’t want to get attached, knowing it won’t last long. Others either betray you or leave. And those who stay will end up hurt,~ she explained, and Red Son chuckled softly.
~Heh. Easier said than done, right?~ he muttered with a faint smile.
~In our family, it’s the same. We can’t show we care too much about each other, or we’ll be used against one another,~ he said weakly.
~But that’s no way to live,~ he added, and Mk just nodded.

After a moment of silence, Mk felt Red Son’s hand on her shoulder, trying to mimic a comforting hug. Mk gave him a weak smile. It... was nice. But nothing lasts forever. Mk took a deep breath and got out of bed.
~Alright, break time’s over,~ she announced.
~Time to get back in the game.~

Chapter Text

~Leave her alone!~ shouted the girl, but she was shoved against the wall. ~Xiaotian!~ her sister cried, choking on her sobs. ~I said—~ the older one began, using the last of her strength to stand. ~Leave my sister alone!~ she screamed, grabbing a shard of glass lying nearby and lunging at the attacker, piercing his artery. In no time, he collapsed to the ground, breathless, releasing the blue-eyed girl. The eight-year-old immediately ran to her younger sister, hugging her tightly and shielding her from the sight of the lifeless man. ~It's okay. It's okay. We're safe,~ she repeated like a mantra.

But they weren’t. Not even a day had passed when around ten armed men burst into their hideout, followed shortly by a woman with blue hair and red eyes. Xiaotian immediately assumed a defensive stance in front of her sister, gripping an old pipe firmly in her hands. ~So, it’s them?~ the woman asked, scanning the two girls. One was ready to fight despite severe wounds that were likely already infected, and the other cowered in fear behind her older sister. For a moment, they stood like that, her crimson irises locked with Xiaotian's golden ones, until the woman finally smiled. ~Well, what do you say to a little chat?~ the eldest of the females proposed.

~Again!~ yelled the blue-haired woman—Astrid Dao, the one who had proposed the deal. ~I-I...~ Bai He began from the side, but was immediately silenced by the golden-eyed girl next to her. ~If you want to repay your debt, try harder!~ Astrid shouted again as Xiaotian collapsed once more during the brutal duel with the woman. The girl glanced at her younger sister, offering her a reassuring smile, then spat out the blood that had entered her mouth and, gripping her weapon tighter, unsteadily stood up to attack again.

~Well?~ came the question, breaking the tomb-like silence. Xiaotian took a deep breath, trying to calm herself and avoid falling apart mentally. ~Mission accomplished. The target has been eliminated, as well as any potential witnesses. No traces remain,~ she reported, completing her first-ever mission debrief.

~This is ridiculous,~ Xiaotian muttered, watching as Emili brewed some kind of potion. ~Trust me, my family are experts when it comes to curses and soul-related matters,~ replied the older girl. ~You should try Qi,~ Vex suggested, placing his hand on her shoulder. ~If not for yourself, then for Bai He,~ he added softly.

~Are you sure everything’s okay?~ Bai He asked quietly once they’d distanced themselves from Vex and Emili. ~Of course. I can handle a bit of noise,~ the golden-eyed girl replied, giving her younger sister a warm smile. ~Hey, girls! What are you waiting for?!~ Emili called out. Bai He glanced at Xiaotian again, who simply nodded. The younger one smiled, then turned toward the eldest of the group. ~We’re coming!~ she shouted cheerfully, running toward the two older assassins. Xiaotian stood still for a moment longer, then took a deep breath and followed the trio to the shopping mall—the loudest and most crowded place in the area.

~Come on! Kill me! But know this—I’ll be waiting for you at the gates of hell!~ yelled the eleven-year-old, clutching a massive, bleeding wound on her body with one hand and holding a dagger with the other. Her entire body was covered in bleeding wounds and bruises, and she was certain she had several broken bones and damaged organs. But none of that mattered. Not now, as pure rage coursed through her veins, pumping adrenaline into her body. ~Oh? Kill you?~ he asked dumbly, then laughed. Xiang Lu—the name that would never fade from her mind, heart, or body. His yellow-red eyes glinted with amusement as he appeared beside her in an instant, grabbing the hand that held the weapon, breaking her wrist, and pulling her close. ~I would never kill you, darling,~ he murmured, planting a kiss on her lips. It was at that moment Bai He finally managed to cock the gun and fire, robbing the demon of one of his eyes. Only because of that were they able to escape.

~We should’ve stayed there. You’re hurt,~ Bai He remarked, though she didn’t stop helping Xiaotian get to the place that had been their home for the past few years but was now just a ruin. ~Xiaotian! Bai He!~ Vex shouted, immediately running toward the two girls. ~Thank goodness! You’re both okay,~ he said with relief. Xiaotian gave him a weak smile, but it didn’t last long. ~Master Vex, we’ve managed to determine the exact human losses,~ one of the subordinates reported.

For minutes, the room was steeped in silence. Only she, Bai He, Emili, Vex, and the coffin containing Astrid Dao’s body were present. About an hour ago, the role of head of the family and the organization had been passed to Vex Dao—the last of the powerful Dao lineage. A short distance away, behind closed doors, lay the buried bodies of others who had died during the massacre, awaiting burial as soon as they left the room—or what was left of it. Emili gently hugged her boyfriend in a comforting gesture, while Xiaotian and Bai He stood a bit farther away. Though she felt weak, Xiaotian refused to sit. Not when she knew it would be the greatest insult to Astrid, who valued strength of character above all else. Her mentor—the woman deemed invincible—had met her end exactly two weeks ago. ~Xiao, we need to talk,~ Vex said, turning his back on his mother and facing her. Xiaotian said nothing, focusing her gaze on the man she could only think of as a companion. ~For the past few years, you’ve served as one of the best assassins our organization has ever had,~ he began. ~During the last massacre, you stood by my side, defending me with your life,~ he continued, something glinting in his eyes. ~As the head of the Dao Family and leader of our organization, I can confidently state that you’ve repaid the debt incurred by Bai He’s parents. As someone who had the chance to work alongside you during your service, I can say you’ve done even more. As of today, with the passing of our former leader and head of the Dao, you are officially no longer indebted to us. You may stay and continue your service, or you may leave and start a new chapter. Whatever you choose, know that as someone who dares to call himself your comrade, you can always count on my support. But I cannot guarantee protection for you and your sister,~ he declared .

~So…what now?~ Bai He asked, walking alongside her sister. ~Are we going to see Mr. Michou so you can heal?*~ she asked, piercing the older one with her gaze. Xiaotian simply chuckled. ~If you insist,~ she said, ruffling the younger girl’s hair.

~You’ve gotten yourself into quite a situation,~ Macaque remarked, replacing the torn stitches on the golden-eyed girl’s deeper wounds. Xiaotian merely muttered something in response, closely observing the demon’s every move. Just because she had agreed to stay didn’t mean she trusted this stranger. ~What exactly happened to you?~ he asked, finishing the last stitch on her body. ~That’s none of your business,~ Xiaotian hissed, making the purple-eyed demon flinch slightly. Maybe she was being a bit too harsh...? She’d think about it later. She was still adjusting to the fact that she was no longer part of the organization. At that moment, Bai He entered the room. ~U-um…I prepared d-dinner,~ she announced. Xiaotian offered her sister a small smile. They both had a long road ahead of them. After all, as the saying goes, old habits die hard.

Mk had hoped she’d never have to turn to Vex for help, but now that Bai He had been possessed by Lady Bone Demon and Wukong and Macaque were clearly hiding something from her, she had to take matters into her own hands. The only information she’d managed to obtain was that her sister might not survive if she remained a vessel for LBD. As Vex advised, she contacted Zizhu, which meant she got the intel while he gained a potential ally. Of course, she couldn’t escape the usual comments about “playing it safe with Red Son,” which was very much his style.

Mk felt a slight sense of relief seeing that everyone left at the mountain—whose name Mk completely forgot—was in one piece. Macaque was still unconscious but alive, and that was what mattered most. ~Alright, team!~ she announced loudly, stepping out of the shadow portal and not holding back a small smile at the startled reactions of the others. ~Time to kick that old witch’s butt,~ she declared.

Chapter Text

~Mk!~ everyone shouted at once, rushing toward the girl and bombarding her with a wave of questions. ~Hey, hey, hey! It's okay. I'm a bit bruised and singed, but other than that, I'm fine,~ she said, trying to calm the group down. ~Bruised and singed?! Are you joking, young lady?! You almost died back there! Do you even realize how reckless that was?!~ Pigsy yelled, pointing a finger at her. ~First of all, I'm not joking. My friend needed help, and I did what was the best option at the time, and I would do it again if necessary. Second, I’d appreciate it if you saved your yelling for later. Right now, we have a world to save. You can scream at me all you want after that,~ she said, trying to steady everyone.

~So… how exactly are we supposed to get past the Great Sage Equal to Heaven under the control of a crazed ice necromancer, save Mei and Bai He, and defeat said demoness?~ Tang asked, warming himself by the fire Sandy had lit. ~Yeah, I second that question. How are we doing this? Especially since Mister Macaque is unconscious,~ Sandy added, busy wrapping her father in blankets. ~Mac won’t be a part of this,~ Mk declared, causing a group-wide ~WHAT?!~ and making Red Son choke on Pigsy’s soup. ~Careful there, buddy,~ Sandy said, patting the red-haired boy on the back to help him breathe again. ~We can’t wait for Macaque to wake up. We’ll move him to the shelter where the city’s residents are,~ the golden-eyed girl announced. ~So, I take it you have a plan?~ Red asked. Mk shot him a smirk that practically screamed, *Did you really think otherwise?* Then, she got up from her seat, grabbed a piece of charcoal, and walked toward the nearest wall. ~Alright, so. LBD might have Wukong and Mei’s powers, but we have something better,~ she began, standing by the wall. ~Friendship?~ Sandy guessed. ~The element of surprise?~ Pigsy suggested. ~Red Son?~ Tang asked, only to get smacked on the head with a wooden ladle by Pigsy. ~What?! He is the strongest among us,~ Tang defended himself, but was promptly ignored. ~No, and yes,~ Mk replied, turning her back to them and beginning to sketch out a plan. ~First off, we have a strategy. LBD might be cunning, but she’s not all-knowing. If we can trick her and get to the prisoners, we’ll have the upper hand.~

~Are you sure this will work?~ Tang asked as he fastened his seatbelt in the newly repaired vehicle. ~Let’s hope so,~ Pigsy grumbled, eyeing the massive robot. ~Sandy! Everything ready?!~ he shouted at the giant. ~Mhm! Just one more… done!~ Sandy said, stepping away from the explosives and hopping into the car. ~I never thought Mk could make such precise bombs on the spot,~ he commented while securing his seatbelt. ~I just hope she explains herself later,~ the pig demon muttered. ~If she makes it out of this alive,~ he added under his breath. However, Tang heard him, placing a reassuring hand on the cook’s shoulder and giving him an encouraging smile. ~You know her. It’s Mk. She always finds a way,~ he said. Pigsy just sighed. ~Alright then. Time to get this party started!~

he declared, slamming his foot on the gas pedal. ~Pigsy, Tang, and Sandy. You three will create a distraction. Cause as much chaos as possible—explosions, collapsing buildings, fire, anything you can think of. Then, when things get too dangerous, retreat. The most important thing is for Red and me to get inside.~

A loud explosion in the southern part of the city was their signal to move. ~We’re going in,~ the golden-eyed girl said, and she and Red Son dashed toward the entrance. ~Not bad,~ the demon commented as they slipped inside. ~Years of practice,~ the brunette murmured, quickly checking for any approaching enemies before sprinting down one of the corridors. ~Think you can handle things from here?~ she asked at a fork in the path. Red Son smirked at her. ~Of course I can.~ Mk returned the smile before heading for the stairs. ~Xiaotian!~ Red suddenly called out, instinctively grabbing her hand. Mk stopped and looked at him. ~Good luck,~ he whispered, giving her hand a light squeeze. ~You too,~ she whispered back, returning the squeeze before hurrying up the stairs.

~Red Son, since the Samadhi Fire was created by you, I assume you can find it?~ Mk asked. ~I’m not entirely sure, but I can try,~ the boy replied. Mk simply smiled. ~Great. In that case, I’ll leave rescuing Mei to you,~ she said, turning back to the wall. ~Mei is one of us, and we will save her. Plus, if we strip LBD of even part of her power, we’ll have a better shot at winning,~ she explained. ~Okay. And what about the Monkey King?~ Pigsy asked. Mk turned her gaze back to the team. ~Leave him to me,~ she said, something dangerously fierce flashing in her eyes.