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Great Sage, Equal to Heaven and Above Brockton by Darkscythe Drake

Journey to the West & Worm Xover Rated: T, English, Adventure & Drama, Sun Wukong, Skitter, Vista, Words: 229k+, Favs: 902, Follows: 1k+, Published: Sep 9, 2024 Updated: Feb 10

363Chapter 2: Sotāpanna 1-02

YES, IT IS I!

I own nothing here except the OCs, read, review, moo, yodelayheehoo, constructive criticism is welcome!

Thanks to MentalForge, storybookknight, NullenVoid, QA151 (both great Worm crossover writers) and old man of the mountain for helping me with this chapter! You guys are the best!

"Beyond the ocean, there was a country named Aolai. It was near a great ocean, in the midst of which was located the famous Flower-Fruit Mountain…there was on top of that very mountain an immortal stone that measured twenty-four feet in circumference…Since creation, it had been nourished by seeds of heaven and earth, by the essences of the sun and moon…One day, it split open, giving birth to a stone monkey endowed with fully developed features and limbs. Having at once learned to run and climb, the monkey bowed to the four cardinal winds, while two beams of golden light flashed from his eyes to reach the Palace of the Polestar."

-Journey to the West, Chapter 1

Peizhi idly wondered if there was something wrong with his sauce. It was a much better thought that he was imagining this whole thing. Unfortunately, thanks to a discrete pinch to his thigh, he was very much awake, and thus stuck as he watched the…intruder…munch on the stir-fried beef. Peizhi had put down his own bowl, which was getting colder by the minute, kept his arms low, and didn't take his eyes off the intruder for a second.

Only occasionally did his eyes flicker to the swishing tail, if only to confirm that yes, a talking monkey had barged into his home from seemingly nowhere and was eating his food.

As the monkey kept serving himself from the wok, Peizhi took in his features more closely, if only to abate the panic threatening to burst his heart. He had seen monkeys of various species on the internet and in books of course, even a couple in the old Brockton Zoo before Squealer tore through it during a high-speed chase. This one resembled none of them, with a narrow, tapered chin framed and covered by the mane of dark fur. His nose was thin and pressed, with the front of the face slightly bulging out, seeming more like a short snout. It seemed as though it was trying to imitate a human face, only to fall short. The hands were larger than his own, judging by how he grasped the bowl, and the claws did not seem decorative in the slightest.

Finally, the monkey put down the bowl and licked his chops. "Ah, a warm meal and steaming white rice! How long has it been since I ate you?" He turned to Peizhi with a fanged smile and bowed. "Once again, I offer my thanks to you, honored merchant. Surely, your ancestors smile upon you for creating such a fine dish!"

"Um…thank you?" And the way he spoke, despite the raspy voice…it was perfect Mandarin, no doubt about it, but it sounded…old. Formal, even. He'd heard a few elderly Chinese in the neighborhood speak similarly. "I…didn't hear you come in."

"Hmm? Ah, forgive my rudeness; your cooking so enchanted me, I forgot to announce myself," he flashed Peizhi a toothy smile. "But when I woke up, there was so much to see! Everything's different! Tell me, which province are we in?"

Peizhi blinked, his confusion ever-growing. "Province?"

"Ah, so the mortals have a new emperor now? He must refer to this place as his kingdom then. Then you may tell me the name of this kingdom, honored merchant."

There had to be a limit to how confused a man could get in a day - scratch that, an hour - because Peizhi kept blinking at the monkey. "This kingdom…? Uh…the United States of America?"

The monkey tilted his head. "Měiguó? Hmm…I cannot say I've heard of it. The emperor must be of a humbler sort, not to address his kingdom by his name. Which corner of the Middle Kingdom does it border?"

Peizhi couldn't stop his jaw from dropping; he didn't know what the USA was? That was…unheard of! Even the poorest of immigrants knew what America was! And why did he think it bordered China!?

"Uh…it doesn't." The monkey blinked and Peizhi continued, if only to prevent the awkwardness from returning. "We are not anywhere near China at all."

The monkey stopped his eating and his eyes briefly widened. A scratchy hum emanated from his mouth as brushed his chin. "A foreign land…well, that explains the strange buildings and odd-looking people. The ones behind masks - they were of a familiar kind, but the souls they had accosted; such round eyes and long noses! I would have laughed and thought them unfortunate guai were it not for their scent!" He giggled and clutched his stomach, teetering like a ball.

"Ah, but I dither. If we are not in the Middle Kingdom, then where is this Měiguó?"

Peizhi bit his lip as he struggled to provide an answer. This situation was getting beyond his control, and he needed a way to manage it. "I…I have a map downstairs. If you'll let me go and fetch it-"

"A map? Oh, joy! Yes, that would be most helpful."

The shopkeeper nodded, rose from his seat and slowly headed to the door. As he stepped out of the room, he saw the monkey from the corner of his eyes give him another toothed smile even as he kept looking around the modest room.

When Peizhi finally climbed down the stairs, he slumped against the wall with a strained squeak.

'What the fuck!?'

This was too much! Too much! A clothed, talking monkey was in his room!

Why? Is this karma for overpricing those Alexandria figurines? That unpaid drink at the bar? How was this happening, why was this happening, and why him!?

He took deep breaths, trying to calm his rapidly beating heart. No, he couldn't afford to freak out here, there's no telling what the monkey would do. Should he call the cops? That was the logical thing to do…but a thought stopped Peizhi before he decided to proceed. What was he going to tell them? That a talking monkey had broken into his house and was eating his food? Best case, they'd laugh him off the line. Worst case - they'd call in the PRT.

'Yes…I'm thinking about this too much. That can't be a real monkey. It has to be one of those…how were they called again…Case 53's? Capes who turned into monsters and lost their memories? That's gotta be it. But now I know for sure the cops are off the table.'

If the monkey really was a cape, the PRT would come rolling in and the monkey didn't seem like one who would go quietly with the authorities. No, there would be a fight, and then more capes would show up, as would the ABB…maybe even Lung.

Out of the question. He didn't have a death wish, whether by collateral damage or by a more personal visit from the upper ranks of the ABB. So for now, he would have to obey his intrusive guest.

A few minutes of digging around later, Peizhi returned to the room with a rolled-up map under his arm. The monkey smiled at him and eyed the map with excitement as Peizhi unrolled it and placed it on the table.

"That is China," Peizhi said as he pointed at the country. He then dragged his finger over to Brockton's spot on the map. "And this is the United States."

Now it was the monkey's turn to pause. For the next minute or two, his eyes roamed the map and his grin faded into a more contemplative look. Peizhi saw the monkey's lips move wordlessly, as though he was saying the names - printed in Chinese - on the map to himself.

The gray-furred intruder sighed and a scratchy sound emanated from between his teeth. "I see…I must have been in meditation for quite a while, for me to not recognize these lands." He threw his head back and laughed. "Hah! If only Master could see me now! After all of our journeys, to be so lost!"

He looked back down at the map. "But from the sights out there, perhaps the Buddha has blessed me in secret. Not that anyone in the Court would, those crotchety fools…to think the Middle Kingdom, the so-called center of the world, was so small…"

As the monkey kept chattering, an odd feeling tingled in the back of Peizhi's head. The monkey's rambling struck a chord in him, like an echo from a hazy dream, but for the life of him, he couldn't figure out why.

"Merchant!" Peizhi snapped from his idle thoughts and looked at the monkey, who was staring right at him. "The spot on the map you pointed to, is this perchance this city?"

"Y-yes, this is Brockton Bay."

"Bù luó kè dùn wān…" the monkey repeated. "Another odd name. I foresee this will be recurring. Oh well! Such is dharma!" he finished with a chipper note.

While Peizhi reeled from the mental whiplash and the steam coming from his ears, a breeze flew into the window and caressed his cheeks. The monkey turned to the window and took a deep breath, a content smile on his face. His tiny nose wrinkled and the hint of grimace seemed to start on his face before it vanished.

He turned to Peizhi again and moved to speak before his eyes suddenly widened, as thought struck. He then suddenly shot up, startling the poor man before lightly bowing. "Good merchant! I seem to not know your name! Forgive my rudeness, but you have been a good host to me and I should like to know it!"

Peizhi swallowed, ignoring the sweat trickling down his nose. "It's Peizhi. Luo Peizhi," he replied, using the eastern order of naming.

The monkey nodded, as though pleased. "A good name, Peizhi-xiansheng. And since you have been kind enough to give me your name, I shall give you my own."

He gave a flourished bow and straightened himself, his hands clasped together. "My titles are many, earned by deeds mighty and throughout lifetimes. Once I was crowned as the Victorious Fighting Buddha by Sakyamuni himself before I returned to my mountain. My Buddhist name is Sun, and the name given to me by my old teacher is Wukong. I am the Handsome Monkey King of Flower-Fruit Mountain, and it is a pleasure to meet you, Peizhi-xiansheng."

…

A thick silence enveloped them. The monkey stood tall and smiling, while the shopkeeper's jaw threatened to fall from his skull, as his eyes were in danger of popping out of it. If one could glance into Peizhi's mind, one would see the gears grind to a halt.

"Sun…Wukong?" Peizhi asked, his voice small and on the verge of squeaking. "You are…your name is Sun Wukong?"

"That it is. Ah! Are you familiar with my name?"

Peizhi chuckled nervously. "I've…heard of it before…"

Of course, he'd heard of Sun Wukong before! What Asian kid hasn't? The Immortal Monkey King!? From Journey to the West? His father had read the story to him countless times as a child. Half the kids wore a monkey mask with two feathers at the neighborhood's Halloween parties! And this monkey was claiming to be Sun Wukong!?

Absurd. He had to be an amnesiac cape.

The monkey - the self-proclaimed Wukong - snorted as he sported an amused smile. "I know I am amazing, such a reaction is understandable." He turned to the window and hummed. "While I would love to stay and converse with you, I wish to see more of this fabulous city, especially now that the sun is out and my appetite is sated."

Before Peizhi could respond, Wukong leapt through the window and down into the street. Startled by the sudden action, Peizhi dashed to the window only to see the monkey idly looking up and down the street with nary a care. Miraculously, there was no one around to gawk at the robed primate or him. Finally, a small miracle.

Wukong turned and waved at Peizhi from the street. "I hope to see you again, Peizhi-xiansheng! May karma grant you a blissful future!" And with those words, he bent his knees…

…and somersaulted into the air.

…

…Peizhi slumped into the open windowsill and groaned, his vision swimming. A monkey just jumped into the air like a flea. The probably-cape monkey who, after eating his food, claimed to be Sun Wukong. A million and one thoughts chaotically bounced around in poor Peizhi's head, but only one penetrated the fog:

'I think I won't open today…maybe I'll just stay and read. Or get shitfaced drunk. Or both.'

'Hmm…were my words offensive to Peizhi-xiansheng? He looked rather put out when he spoke,' Sun Wukong, the seven-fold immortal thought and chuckled. 'Ah, but many have been rendered speechless by my presence. Not that I blame them; mortals get excited over the slightest of things, let alone me.'

He turned his gaze onto the skyline, enshrouded by morning fog. 'What strange buildings these are. Tall as pagodas, made with firm stone that doesn't crumble, with peculiar metal objects sticking out like tree branches. Not a single hint of wood, nor a single tiled roof.' He rubbed his hand over the surface of the roof he was on, the stone's rough texture scraping over his palm. 'Unlike any stone I have seen before, very durable. Yet rather…ugly. A home with such strong stone should be suitably dressed!'

He took a deep breath and grimaced as the scent of ash and grime entered his nostrils. 'Gah! I feel like I am back at the base of the Flaming Mountains! Not as strong, but the air is stuffed with soot and gunk! Have these mortals had their senses so dulled they cannot smell it?'

'Not to mention the blood…if the scent was any thicker, it would rain from the clouds back as liquid.' He hopped off the building and tumbled downwards. After landing, a cursory glance around him revealed he was in an alley, with strange murals painted on the walls and faded bloodstains, echoes not of battle, but matters of a more sinister nature.

'No glory or honor was earned here…nothing but sin and baser instinct.' He headed out of the alley and into the new street. A road crossed his path, emerging from the dense cluster of stone buildings to his left. Further to his right, the pavement morphed into a path of wooden planks as faint curtains of fog obscured an overlooking beach. He could see more of these strange mortals walking by, their bodies hunched and eyes round as plates.

'Men of the western lands bore similar features, but their skin was like bronze or ochre. Peizhi-xiansheng and his kin are of my lands, I would bet my hair on it. Hah, if only that pig could see me now, strutting around like a clueless maid!'

He observed the horizon for several moments, and felt his thoughts grow pensive. "How long has it been…" he muttered. "To end up so far from my native shores? And how did I leave the mountain in the first place? I'm positive my meditations weren't that deep."

As he tried to summon up memories of his recent times, he was met with a fog, with only flickers of images playing before his minds eye.

Screaming.

Thunder.

Hands.

Stone.

The Monkey King shook his head and hissed. What had happened to him?

A sea breeze gently caressed his face, drawing him from his musings. Wukong looked behind him and upwards toward the horizon of tall buildings, wondering if he should leap again for another view, when a strong scent tickled his nostrils, one of oil and meat. Ignoring the drool spooling from his mouth, Wukong turned in the direction of the wafting aroma.

'What peculiar, yet tempting perfume is this?'

There in the corner, was a shop, with a green sunroof reaching for the street. The sign above it was written in the scripture of this…Měiguó…which he didn't understand. His sharp ears picked out faint voices coming from within the shop, speaking the same tongue as the two mortals he saved last night.

'Looked terrified out their minds, they were. And I understood not a single mumble from their lips.' He rubbed his chin in contemplation. 'While it would be fun to mess with the humans now…I'd rather see what the source of that delightful scent is without being chased off.'

Nodding to himself, Wukong cracked his knuckles and twirled around. A puff of smoke enveloped his form, and from out of the smoke flew a golden cicada.

'Ah, Master Subodhi, the art of transformation was your greatest gift to me!'

The monkey-turned-insect flew into the store, unseen by anyone and landed on one of the empty tables. Behind the main counter, a portly, unshaven man wearing a stained apron was chopping something with a long knife. Flapping his tiny form's wings, the disguised Wukong flew to the counter and touched down on the glass sill. To his delight, he saw the man place shredded chunks of dripping meat between pieces of thick bread and top it with all manner of sauces and vegetables, including round red slices shaped like a wheel that were unfamiliar to the monkey.

'Oh, what a hearty dish this is! Any monk would faint at such a display of butchery. I myself do not partake much in meat but…I must say, my meditations have left me quite peckish. Heh, Master Tang would have fainted on the spot if he could be here.'

A loud shout shook Wukong as he peered up at the greasy man as he placed the meal on the counter. Skittering to the edge of the glass, he watched as a young woman, with hair as red as fire dressed in a manner of clothing that would have made any court - or anywhere that wasn't a brothel - titter in outrage and scandal walk over and take the meat, placing a greenish paper on the counter. The cook took the paper and gave her some coins in return. 'Hm, I have heard some of the great cities started to use paper as money…that must be this land's version of it.'

The woman returned to her table where two other women sat, one of whom had skin the color of dark soil, greeted her and they began chatting, occasionally giggling like the maidens they undoubtedly were. While amusing to the Monkey King, his lack of understanding of their words frustrated him. Not to mention he didn't even know what that marvelous dish was even called!

'So what should I do to remedy this?' he pondered. His master was the one to handle most of the talking on their long journey, and most people and yaoguai spoke a shared tongue. 'Yet disciples of Buddha come from all lands and peoples, so there must be a - of course!'

The cicada flew out of the store and towards the stone buildings. After he reached a rather tall one, he transformed back into his original self and sat down in the lotus position on the roof. Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes and began to speak, the words flowing from his mouth like honey:

"Om Ami Dewa Hrih

Om Ami Dewa Hrih

Om Ami Dewa Hrih…"

Over and over the Monkey King chanted, feeling the energy of the universe flow up his legs and from the tips of his hairs to his ears and face. Voices and images flashed in his mind, at one moment lasting eons, the other lasting barely a whisper's length. When he repeated the mantra one final time, he opened his eyes and his vision flashed with gold.

Exhaling, Wukong shook his head and rose. He peered over the roof's edge and his sharp eyes caught a sign in the foreign script, stuck on the edge of a tall metal pole. For a moment, the engraving upon it was as unintelligible as ever, but then something clicked in his mind, as though a lake was cleared of muddy waters.

It was a name.

Wukong grinned as comprehension finally dawned upon him. The word engraved upon the metal sign was a name! His head then tilted with curiosity. What would a name be doing stuck on a pole?

'Is it the ruler of this city? No, there are many like these scattered around, and they bear different names. Hm…I do believe they refer to the street.' He nodded. 'Yes, a simple street marker. Truly, your genius is boundless, Wukong!'

He hummed a little tune as he jumped over to the next roof and gazed at the people below. More and more had left their homes and were bustling about, some of them bearing the familiar features of the Middle Kingdom. But as he kept watching them, he noticed a feature that stood out even among their clothes, faces, and even their hair: an underlying tension, a miasma that hung over the city, caked in the same blood and grime he had smelled before.

'For a city with such strange wonders, its people seem the opposite. What could they be so frightened of? Is it related to the bandits I fought?'

Then, from the corner of his eye, he saw movement.

Wukong hopped over to the roof's edge and looked down into the alley between the two buildings. There, lurking in the shadows, was a group of men, gathered around two dark-skinned folk - a boy and a younger girl. Judging from the clubs and metal rods in their hands, he doubted the interaction was friendly.

He transformed into a cicada again and flew down to better observe the situation. As he flew closer, Wukong heard the words of the would-be bandits in full clarity.

"...you know this part of town is Empire turf. What's a nigger and his skank doing here?"

The boy positioned himself so he shielded the girl, not letting the men out of his sight. "Just passing by. We don't want any trouble."

"Oh really? You should've thought about that before you entered these parts, struttin' around like you own the place."

"Kaiser will get you all one day, the chinks and kikes too," snickered another man, his arm muscular and tattooed with symbols.

"So unless you cough up some dough, we break every bone in your body and maybe leave you and the girl for the cops."

The boy clenched his fist as he looked left and right, his posture akin to a coiled snake. The bandits seemed to sense this and took a step closer, brandishing their weapons. Wukong took the scene in and mentally hummed. While their skills seemed lacking, their weapons were not, and he doubted the boy could hold them off.

'Master and the monk would want to save them, the horse wouldn't care, and the pig would want food or money…why am I considering what he would do?'

"Okay, time's up!" The apparent leader spoke. "Better hope you got some pocket change, cause I'd hate to leave with only a couple broken niggers as a prize."

As the bandits smacked their weapons against their fists and the youngsters looked ready to bolt, Wukong made up his mind.

'Eh, why not?'

A cloud of smoke filled the alley and one of the thugs fell in a heap, making everyone turn around. The other bandits swore and backed off as Wukong rose to his full height and looked down at the man he'd landed on. Idly wiping his feet on his back, the monkey took his time and looked at the assorted thugs. 'Their noses are huge! And eyes as big as dinner plates! Are the people of Měiguó all guai-borne?'

"Good day to you! I hope I wasn't interrupting!"

The language that sounded in his ears was queer, even as his own lips spoke in his usual tongue. Such mantras worked in strange ways, but he did not deny their effectiveness.

"Grange!" the leader shouted, nervous yet hateful eyes staring into Wukong's own amused ones. "Who-what the fuck are you!?"

"Me?" Wukong asked and placed a hand on his chest. "I am but a humble traveler who saw the plight of these poor youths. I confess I do not understand the names you called them, but I hardly think they were friendly, no?"

"How the hell did you get here!?" one of them said as he clutched his pipe.

"Ah, I was watching from up there," Wukong replied and pointed upwards. Everyone glanced in the same direction and the leader's eyes widened.

"The fuck? The chinks have a new cape?"

At those words, everyone seemed to draw in their breaths. Even the children seemed to freeze.

"Cape? I had a cape, but I seem to have lost it."

The tattoo-armed man huddled closer to the leader. "Hey boss, maybe we should leave. Hookwolf and the others can have a go at him."

Instead of doing the smart thing, the leader growled like a dog and banged his club against the building wall. "To hell with that! He's not Lung or Oni Lee! Just some chimp-ass-looking wannabe who the chinks like since they're all monkeys!" He glared at Wukong and clutched his weapon with two hands. "When I'm done with you, the slants will never mess with Kaiser and the Empire again!"

'Ah, they have an empire then? Maybe I'll meet him soon!' Regardless, Wukong tilted his head. "Before we start, there's no shame in surrendering. Greater men than you have tried."

While the bandits were nervous before, now they were plain peeved.

"Oh well…" Wukong reached up and placed a hand next to his ear. "I could use a challenge for today."

With a slight pinch, he pulled out a needle from behind his ear. He twirled it between his fingers and in a flash of light, what was once a needle was now a golden-capped staff. Twirling the staff around and grasping it in the middle, he pulled it behind him and raised his free arm.

The men froze and Wukong chuckled. How many times were his enemies frozen by that little trick? It never failed to amuse him.

"Oh? Where's your bravado? Surely this isn't enough to make you freeze?" at the sound of silence, the monkey tapped the staff against the ground, letting out a clear ding. "No? Well, be it far from me to be a bad host."

It all lasted three beats. Each blow was thunder.

A sweep took one down. The other received a bonk to the head. The tattooed man, to his credit, tried to approach Wukong, but a dropkick broke his ribs and sent him tumbling like a doll.

At last, only the leader remained, surrounded by the broken and moaning bodies of his defeated comrades. The anger on his face was replaced by widened eyes and a shaking form. Wukong simply twirled his staff again and pointed it at the now-pathetic thug.

"Well? Are you going to dance as well?"

Instead of replying or attacking, the man turned and charged…at the children.

Oh, that won't do.

Good thing that he had this.

With a gentle stab, the staff shot out and extended all the way to the man's back, sending him flying out of the alley and across the street, smashing his head against the opposite building. The children, having dodged in time, looked back and forth between the thugs and himself, with the same stare that Peizhi-xiansheng had given him.

"Run off to your parents, little ones! Alleys like these make excellent breeding spots for lowlives. Farewell!"

Wukong somersaulted into the air and transformed into a sparrow, flying out of the alley and out of the city. When he reached the clouds, he transformed back and walked upon the cloud. He gazed at the city below, filled with strangeness and blood, and felt his stone heart beat fast.

'What do you know, Wukong…this looks like it'll be a fun little trip!'

Ta-da! Here I am!

Wow, I did not expect this story to blow up this quickly. I'm so happy *sniff*

We have here our first glimpse at Wukong, both outside and inside POV. I'm using a combination of various adaptations, not just from the original book. Monkie Kid, Black Myth Wukong (GOTY for sure!) and the old Shanghai cartoon Uproar in Heaven (free on YT with sub) are the most prominent. I hope I did a good enough representation of his character.

If you want to help fund my writing, hop over to my at pat . reon / user?u=47732921 and donate! Members will get previews and chapters ahead of time!

I'm a member of the Shiro's Gaming Omniverse Discord (discord . gg/wd3tUYWVCd.) server and the Emerald Library (discord . gg/elibrary). If you want to hop over and chat, either about this story or anything else, feel free! I also have my own server Drake's Lair, at (discord . gg/2bD4UgyyPA).

If you enjoyed this story, check out my other ones and look at my profile for challenges!

Most importantly...

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Great Sage, Equal to Heaven and Above Brockton by Darkscythe Drake

Journey to the West & Worm Xover Rated: T, English, Adventure & Drama, Sun Wukong, Skitter, Vista, Words: 229k+, Favs: 902, Follows: 1k+, Published: Sep 9, 2024 Updated: Feb 10

363Chapter 3: Sotāpanna 1-03

Guess who? It's me! Monkey Time ahoy!

You know the drill, read, review, moo, yodelayheehoo.

Huge thanks to MentalForge, storybookknight, QAI521 and bookie from the Cauldron server who helped me with this chapter!

So without further ado...

The Monkey King searched diligently for the way of immortality, but he had no chance of meeting it. Going through big cities and visiting small towns, he unwittingly spent eight or nine years on the South Jambūdvīpa Continent before he suddenly came upon the Great Western Ocean. He thought that there would certainly be immortals living beyond the ocean; so, having built himself a raft like the previous one, he once again drifted across the Western Ocean until he reached the West Aparagodānīya Continent. After landing, he searched for a long time, when all at once he came upon a tall and beautiful mountain with thick forests at its base. Since he was afraid neither of wolves and lizards nor of tigers and leopards, he went straight to the top to look around. It was indeed a magnificent mountain…As he was looking about, he suddenly heard the sound of a man speaking deep within the woods. Hurriedly he dashed into the forest and cocked his ear to listen…When the Handsome Monkey King heard this, he was filled with delight, saying, "So the immortals are hiding in this place!"

- Journey to the West, Chapter 1

A visual flashed in the visor, and he wasted no time responding.

"This is Armsmaster."

"Armsmaster, this is PRT Captain Dunlow, incoming report."

"What is it?" he replied, even as he kept tinkering with his halberd.

"Possible parahuman event. We got a call from Brockton P.D. about a few Empire thugs lying on the streets. They were beaten up bad and are at Brockton General right now."

"Are you positive?"

Despite the moment of quiet, he could hear the captain's frown. "If the state they were left in says anything? Yes."

If he was any less focused, Armsmaster would've paused. "Continue."

"All five of them had broken bones, and when I say broken, I mean almost shattered. From what the doc told us, two had their ribs almost caved in. One was found across the street and with a concussion, maybe a skull fracture. We got no eyewitness reports of another gang showing up, and while a couple of the guys think this is infighting, we both know what's likely going on here."

The armored hero placed the halberd down and moved to the gauntlet on his left. He pulled a tiny wire clipper from a nearby drawer and reached into the open armor piece. His tone changed from clipped to calculating. "No reports? We haven't heard of any movements from the Merchants or Oni Lee. What's the location?"

"Downtown, southeast. We asked them how they got beat around like ragdolls, and the only one conscious enough to answer said, and I quote:" A deep inhale sounded from the comms. "Some monkey-faced chink cape pulled out a stick from nowhere and whooped their asses."

Armsmaster pursed his lips as a low hum, akin to a growl, escaped his throat. That description was very familiar. "A monkey-faced cape?"

"That's what he said. When we asked how he knew he was Asian, the gangbanger said, and again I quote: 'He wore pansy-ass robes he'd seen chinks wear in those old cartoons.'"

For the first time in hours, Armsmaster paused his repairs. Rubbing his bearded chin, he contemplated everything the officer told him. "Did they say anything else? Where did the cape go or where did he come from?"

"Nope. They were too busy rolling in pain or sleeping with concussions to notice. They didn't seem cooperative about why they were even there in the first place, but it was no stroll down the road, that's for sure. We collected some knives, a pistol, and a few improv weapons at the site, so I'd bet my salary that it wasn't anything good."

He drew in a breath. Great. "I see…keep an eye out for any sighting of that cape and send any reports to the PRT. If this really is a new cape, we need to nip this in the bud, or worst case, get an idea of who we're dealing with." He paused, then cleared his throat. "And…thank you for the information. Keep me posted on any new developments."

"Yes sir." With that, he disconnected and the visor went dark.

"So soon, and it's barely been a day. Though it's less dramatic than most debuts we've seen."

Armsmaster nodded at the female voice's remark, his bearded jaw chewing on air. "Maybe this one values discretion, it makes no difference. What's important now is finding out everything we can about this new cape and who he's aligned with." He pulled up a map of Brockton onscreen. "First the store at the Docks, now Downtown, against two different gangs. Beats them up fast and disappears from the scene. If the Empire and ABB thugs' accounts are to be believed, then he's male, and based on his clothing, possibly Asian." The second screen flashed with lists and images of reports.

"There was a recent incident - two days ago - with Lung over a brothel. Miss Militia was on the scene along with Assault. Aegis and Stalker provided backup for evacuation and gangster containment. The whole building burnt down and while the fires were stopped from spreading further, there were civilian casualties. There were no reports of any unidentified parahuman activity though."

Armsmaster frowned. God knows why Lung decided to destroy one of his brothels; suspicion of traitors maybe? An insult? He was never one to take one lightly. Regardless, as sad as it was to say, it wouldn't be unlikely for incidents like these to produce a trigger event. He clicked on one of the reports and enlarged it.

"There's one thing that almost confirms that this new cape is the same one from the grocery store," The female voice made him shake his head and refocus. "The gangsters' descriptions of this Parahuman."

"Yes…'monkey-faced'." It was one thing for racist gangsters to call someone that. When two racist gangsters on opposite sides call them the same thing?

"Case-53 scenario?" he asked.

"Likely. Compared to some capes on the database, a monkey isn't an unlikely transformation."

More reports popped up on the screen. "There have been some rumors that Lung is looking to bolster his ranks with Parahumans. According to what little intel we have, some ABB members were seen in Boston, around its Chinatown district."

He sat down and tapped the desk, his mental gears whirring. "And you are absolutely sure he's not one of said new recruits? Their…initiations…" The disgust was obvious, even through the call. Not that he blamed her; he'd been to many aftermaths of those 'initiations'. "Don't rule out hazing by fighting other members."

"It wouldn't be so open and they wouldn't call the police - or let anyone else try to."

He nodded and typed in a command. "I'm opening a file for this new Parahuman. Everything we mentioned just now and any similar reports go there. No name yet, but I'll assign him ratings of Brute and Mover 3. He'll be treated as an independent until we figure out his affiliation or recruit him for the Protectorate. Any equipment, Dragon? The report says he had a staff."

"It also says he pulled it from his ear," Dragon stated.

"Noted. Adding potential Striker and Stranger to the rating."

"Not Tinker?" she asked.

"Tinkers don't usually have secondary powers. And we don't have any mention of additional gear or Tinkertech. It wouldn't make sense, especially if he's a new Case 53. Tinkers need time to produce their tech, and judging from the reports, I'd say he's been in the city for two, three days at most."

"Are you going to inform Director Piggot?"

Armsmaster gazed hard at the screen, his expression obscured behind his helmet's visor. "Only the absolute basics. We've encountered a cape of unknown alignment."

The screen flashed and a woman wearing green armor and long brown hair appeared, bearing a concerned expression. "Colin, if a new Parahuman is on the scene then the last thing you should do is keep this from the director. I know there have been issues-"

"This isn't about that," he interjected, a tad forcefully. "This is a professional matter. We don't have enough intelligence on this cape, not even a picture. Gathering data and determining his modus operandi is the priority here. The last thing we need is to deliver vague or false information."

Dragon frowned, then slowly sighed. "If that's what you think is right," she said. "How are you going to track him?"

Armsmaster scowled, but nonetheless acquiesced. "I'll pull up every street camera from Downtown to the Docks and run through the last 24 hours. I'll forward the intel to the response teams and the Protectorate and notify them to keep an extra eye out during patrols, the Wards too just in case."

"Rules of engagement?"

"Right now, no provocations. For the Wards, if encountered, they are to notify Console immediately and await a Protectorate Hero and a PRT squad. If they can stall him nonviolently until we pitch recruitment, they have permission to do so." He went to his halberd and tinkered with it some more. "If a meeting escalates to violence, restrain and delay until the capture team or a Hero arrives. If a Protectorate Hero encounters him, they are to do the same, but they have full permission to engage directly if hostile. In all cases, containment teams are to be notified. When we have more intel, I'll update."

With that, Armsmaster looked away from the screen, put down his tools, and looked at his weapon. "Are the upgrades all working?" asked Dragon.

"Everything seems in order, nothing's pinging the diagnostic scan." He placed the halberd back down and returned to the computer.

"Maybe he came from overseas…but he wouldn't be able to hide himself easily with his looks."

"Barring any power-related explanations, smuggled or stowaway?"

"Exactly." A map of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans covered with dotted and dashed lines appeared on the screen, each one labeled. Contrary to popular belief, the international shipping trade's decline was not due to the threat of Leviathan attacking ships; if anything, the Endbringer left them alone. No, its main casualties were the port cities where trade was received - along with their respective populations and Parahumans - and the increased risk of international shipping upped insurance rates, which, combined with the former scenario, dealt crippling blows to the industry. But it was far from dead, especially with the new Endbringer disaster protocols; Brockton Bay simply had it rougher than everywhere else.

Like always. Underfunded, crime-inflated, dilapidated, cape-flooded and one breath away from collapsing into total anarchy and pandemonium.

As those dark thoughts began to swim in his mind's eye, Armsmaster took a deep breath. One problem at a time. One way or another, he would fix this city, deal with the gangs, and show the rest of the world that Heroes like him would always stop those walking monsters called Villains. He would tinker and tinker until he had the best tools for the job; right now though, he would settle for looking into this new cape.

Maybe this would be minor stress relief compared to the usual bullshit this town pulled over him.

Sun Wukong was a curious individual.

His friends called him many traits: impulsive, reckless, mischievous, clever and utterly handsome, to name a few. Among all those, curiosity was among the last usually attributed to him. Yet did he not venture into the unknown for nine years in search of immortality? Did he not take the first leap into Water Curtain Cave, where he was crowned as king of his fellow primates? In fact, many of his early deeds were the result of naught but curious fancy.

Case in point, he was perched atop his staff, on the roof of a tall stone building, surveying the strange city of Bù luō kè dùn wān - Brockton Bay. To an observer, he would appear akin to a sailor in the crow's nest of a ship, gazing at the horizon. The sun had passed its noontime mark, beginning a quick descent into the skyline. He silently marveled at the spires of glass and metal, at the wrecked ships along the distant docks. He felt the wind caress his face, the whispers of a winter chill taking the stage from the autumn breeze. Soon enough, the rains and snow would grace the skies and kiss the earth. Faint birdsong tickled his ears, their foreign chirps producing brisk melodies. The growling of the metal carriages, the idle talks of the native mortals, the buzzing of lightning that emanated from every lamp and home - it was all so…different from the cities of Zhōngguó. Even Chang'an, the Tang capital of a million souls, where he visited with his master at the end of his journey, was unlike this one. It was less populated here, for sure, but it had an energy that he'd seen nowhere else. How queer, how exotic, how…foreign.

'And is that such a bad thing?' thought the Monkey King as he twirled around his staff, doing a tiny somersault and landing on its tip. 'Some of those old fools back home would huff at any foreign tales. Hah! So stuck aspiring for the heavens, they failed to see the vastness of the earth around them! Goes to show them that!'

The smug grin on his face however slowly melted into a troubled line. 'Yet…the differences here are stark, both for good and ill. The scent of muck and blood is strong in the air, and the fear I felt earlier seems to shroud this whole city.' He inhaled deeply and grimaced. 'Not just fear…negativity in all of its shades. Those thugs, with the different costumes, are they a symptom or the cause?'

Wukong grasped his staff and leapt over to a taller building. Reaching its roof's edge, he held onto it with his claws and dangled over it, his staff firmly in his free hand. He could see the woodlands creeping along the western hills, hidden behind rows of smaller buildings. Unlike the spire he was on, they were squatted, ugly, and worn. 'Not only that…'

For an instant, the world was awash with gold.

'The qi here is…warped. Tainted even.' The ever-present life force of the universe was abundant in Flower-Fruit Mountain and Master Subodhi's cave. They were auspicious places, blessed by the heavens, and he had cultivated his talent and prowess greatly there. On the long road to the Western lands such places were scarce, but he always felt the soothing ebb and flow of qi. 'Yet here, it is as though it has blended with the filth in the air! Only demonic strongholds or doors to the underworld were foul enough to taint qi in such a manner. True, it proves no issue for me, but I have seen neither hide nor hair of any yaoguai or spirit since awakening.'

He pulled himself up nimbly onto the roof and crouched, staring at the stream of people below. 'This Brockton Bay is hiding something behind these spires and towers. Crime and human degeneracy to be sure, but this mystery goes far deeper.' He scratched his chin and let out a raspy breath. "I should ask Peizhi-xiānshēng about this. As a native of this city, he would surely provide more insight. Maybe I could taste that delicious beef dish again." He nodded. "Yes, a good plan. Though I should examine every district here before-"

"Hey!"

Wukong was startled from his thoughts by a voice to his left. Turning his head, he blinked as he took in the individual who had spoken: a girl in white wearing a dress that only reached her knees, with hair spun like gold adorned with a small, golden crown. Her face was that of the locals, with round blue eyes and soft cheeks. By human standards, she was quite the beauty.

The girl idly floated toward him, her arms crossed and a curious look upon her face. She seemed to lean forward before her eyes widened and she jerked back. "Wow, that is one hell of a mask."

Wukong pointed at his face. "Mask? I wear no mask."

Her eyes widened even further and she leaned back. "Oh shit, for real? Sorry." Her stare returned to its inquisitive state before she flew around him. "I've gotta say, this is the first time I've heard of a cape turning into a monkey, and there are some weird 53s online. You even have a tail!"

While Wukong had no idea what that last phrase meant, he did notice the other thing she said. "Little girl, I am the Handsome Monkey King! Of course I am a monkey!"

She raised an eyebrow. "Handsome Monkey King? Pretentious much?" She bobbed in the air as she kept talking. The ability to fly was far from strange to Wukong - it would be easier to list the people he knew who couldn't fly.

'But I feel no qi gathering around her feet, nor do I sense it enveloping her or granting her wings. All mortal methods of flight use some variation of those. A xiān maybe? No, not with the qi here. Any immortal would heave and flee before willingly subjecting themselves to living with such tainted air.'

"I haven't seen you around before. You new in town?"

Wukong idly twirled his staff as he followed her line of sight. "I recently arrived. I awoke before dawn, had a good meal, and enjoyed the view. If only the company was politer, this would've been perfect."

"Yeah, the sunsets are nice high up - hold up," she stopped and shot him a glare. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Exactly what I said."

Her eye twitched, but she maintained her movement. "If you wanna make a good first impression, then being a smartass won't help." She then paused at her words before shrugging. "But if it helps you then go ahead. Not like I'm one to talk."

Wukong scoffed at the remark. 'I insulted every god in Heaven and got away with it, xiǎo gūniáng. A few mortals don't scare me.'

"Where did you wake up? I'm assuming it was recent?"

He slowly nodded. "I have. It was quite strange, I recognized almost nothing, but I was fortunate enough to meet a kind countryman who offered me food."

"And those clothes too?" she asked, gesturing to his robes. "Gotta say, pretty outdated."

Wukong snorted. "These are perfectly fine robes! I saw no need to ask for clothing."

Glory Girl blinked. "They were already on you?" She then rubbed her chin and her eyes narrowed. "You said a fellow countryman. Then…you're Asian? Chinese? Japanese?"

"I am from…" he took a moment to let the words translate in his mind and recalled the map Peizhi had shown him. "China, yes."

Whilst her words held simple interest before, now the girl seemed to tense at those words. Odd. Was it something he said?

The Monkey King looked up and down her form once more. Despite her rather…provocative wear and somewhat pale frame, her exposed arms revealed the musculature hidden beneath. Was she royalty? It would make sense, especially with the crown. Most peasants couldn't afford such finery. Then again, he'd barely seen anyone in patches or rags here. Regardless, this girl was a warrior, there was no mistaking that. She was primed to strike should she find sufficient reason.

"So, you decide to go solo or did someone already recruit you?"

Then perhaps…he should give her a sufficient reason.

'Hmm…Master Tang wouldn't have liked this…but I could use the exercise. Those thugs weren't much of a challenge.'

He tossed the staff over his shoulders and grasped it like a yoke, slowly walking in circles. "And why should I tell you any of my business, girl? I do not know you."

She smirked and placed a hand on her hip. Well, since you're new here, let me give you a little intro. The name's Glory Girl, and I'd think who's jumping from building to building would like some help knowing where he's at."

How cute. "'Glory Girl?'" He let out a raspy bark of laughter, "Now who is the pretentious one? What glory have you claimed to earn such a title?"

Glory Girl narrowed her eyes. "I told you to watch being a smartass. You're lucky I'm not a psycho like Hookwolf or Lung. They'd skip past the courtesy and move straight to ripping you in half."

'Odd names, but they have weight to them. Are they figures of renown in these parts?' Wukong thought. He then chuckled and stopped pacing. "Is that arrogance I hear?" He smirked at her as his tail swished. "Careful, you might end up biting the wrong peach."

The flying woman raised an eyebrow. "Don't you mean apple?"

"What is an apple?"

"...it's a fruit. You know, big, red, crispy? Seriously, you don't know what an apple is?" she mimed a round shape with her hands after getting over her shock.

"Hmm," he tapped his chin then shook his head. "Haven't heard of it! I'll make sure to try one later." The sight of her confounded almost made him giggle.

Wukong tilted his staff and fiddled with its golden tip, idly tracing the intricate dragon carved along its length. "While I appreciate the offer of help, I think I will manage fine by myself. But you carry yourself like a warrior, and I must admit, I am intrigued." He pointed the staff at her. "So why don't we have a little bout? A test of fist and weapon?"

"'Fist and weapon'? You wanna fight me?" Glory girl asked, her hands on her hips. "Wow, a smartass and a battle-maniac. Why?"

"To see if that title of yours lives up to its name. Your confidence is radiant, and I wish to see if it's true or a mask for arrogance." She narrowed her eyes at him again. "Though judging by the quality of thugs around here, I can see where that might come from."

"You fought gangsters already? Yeah, the rank-and-file don't have much going for them other than being utter wastes of humanity."

"Ah, so they are mere fodder." Wukong let a mischievous smile grow. She seemed a more cautious warrior than he thought. But if there was anything he knew how to do best, it was annoying people.

"Though I must say, you claim to be a hero, but your state of dress says otherwise. Are you sure you're not a harlot with some fancy tricks?"

This time, he got his reaction. The girl's eyes widened as the insult settled in before narrowing like a hawk. She cracked her knuckles and bent her knees. "So warnings go right over your furry head. Good to know. Alright, monkey-man, I'm game. How about last one standing wins? Any time you want to back out, I won't blame you. Unlike some goons, I'm no pushover."

"Ha! That is the best joke I've heard since I woke up!" The Monkey King twirled his staff before pointing it at her. "Then, by all means, Glory Girl, let me see the steel behind your words!"

Yep, it's me!

Not much to say other than first meeting with Glory Girl! Let's see how our Monkey deals with her!

Big thanks to bookie and Cauldron server for helping me with characterization!

If you want to help fund my writing, hop over to my at pat . reon / user?u=47732921 and donate! Members will get previews and chapters ahead of time! For example, Chapter 4 is already out on that site!

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Great Sage, Equal to Heaven and Above Brockton by Darkscythe Drake

Journey to the West & Worm Xover Rated: T, English, Adventure & Drama, Sun Wukong, Skitter, Vista, Words: 229k+, Favs: 902, Follows: 1k+, Published: Sep 9, 2024 Updated: Feb 10

363Chapter 6: Sotāpanna 1-06

YES! IT IS I!

You know the drill, read, review, moo, yodelayheehoo.

Huge thanks to MentalForge, QAI521, bookie and TrajectoryAgreement for betaing this chapter!

Thick clouds in vast formation moved o'er the world;

Black fog and dusky vapor darkened the Earth;

Waves churned in seas and rivers, affrighting fishes and crabs;

Boughs broke in mountain forests, wolves and tigers taking flight.

Traders and merchants were gone from stores and shops.

No single man was seen at sundry marts and malls.

The king retreated to his chamber from the royal court.

Officials, martial and civil, returned to their homes.

This wind toppled Buddha's throne of a thousand years

And shook to its foundations the Five-Phoenix Tower.

-Journey to the West, chapter 3

Sun Wukong twisted and turned on the thick mattress as he played with the thin blanket his host had given him. It was a very soft mattress, which he learned was standard in this land. It couldn't compare in the slightest to lying upon spring clouds or the golden silks of the Palace of the Polestar, but much better than woven mats. He looked at the cracked ceiling, with its splotches of dirt and the empty lightbulb hanging in the middle. A simple mechanism, turning lights on and off with a switch and no magic. After fifty or so times though, the novelty wore off.

'This room could easily belong in a noble's mansion with a small clean-up. A new coat of paint wouldn't hurt as well. For all this ingenuity, these mortals love their drab buildings, glass spires notwithstanding. Even farmers colored their walls." He sighed and let out a chuckle. 'Look at me, mulling over details of a ceiling in bed like a sick man who fears slumber. I don't even need sleep!'

While that much was true - Wukong could abstain from sleep for three whole years - he still liked to sleep, or at least lay down and laze around. A habit from his peaceful days as ruler of Flower-Fruit Mountain that he had no intention of breaking.

'If only I could drift off with nary a care, but alas, more troubling matters have seized my attention.'

The Jade Emperor does not exist.

The gods do not exist.

The Great Sage sat up and ensconced himself in the blanket, draping it over his head and shoulders like a cassock. Those words, spoken as such a basic and obvious truth, jarred him greatly, and despite covering up his shock quickly from his host, Peizhi's claim did not recede from his mind in the slightest.

'The sheer absurdity of that statement…how is it possible?' Wukong thought, restraining himself from scratching the frail blanket. 'Every mortal knows of the gods and their power. They are part of the world and the order of creation, even if they deem themselves above it. Even the most remote villages and hamlets had local gods assigned to them, along with their own superstitions. The records of divine deeds are intensive and their remnants upon the earth are visible to all mortals. To say nothing of the feats and powers of the Buddhists. Heh, for all their claims of detachment from earthly affairs, they will revel in any praise from mortals, the lavisher the better.'

He stroked his chin and looked out the window, where a streetlight's faint halo bloomed in the darkness.

'Is it because this is a distant land with strange people, across a great ocean, that Peizhi-xiānshēng says his words with such surety? Yet distance matters little to the divine and enlightened. Why, the sons of Ao Guang swim and leap throughout the four cardinal seas and do not hesitate to puff and flaunt their ridiculous plumage to all mortals and spirits who see them.'

Steepling his clawed hands, a scratchy hum emanated from his lips.

'No, it is not that he claimed no knowledge of the gods, else how would he speak of the Jade Emperor? He claimed that they do not exist. As if they were a made-up fable.'

He fell and rolled in his mattress again. 'Bah, there are too many words missing from this riddle!'

He kept ruminating on this new knowledge, trying to find reasoning to counter it. Unfortunately, nothing came to him. Eventually, a soft knock drew him from his thoughts.

"Uh, Wukong? Are you awake?"

He shook his head and slowly stood, the blanket falling off him and landing beside him soundlessly. Looking to the window, he spotted the faint strokes of dawn dyeing the night sky. Was he so deep in thought? Using his tail, he opened the door to see his host standing there, his hands clasped together and a weak smile on his face.

Wukong gave a much wider smile and bowed. "Fair morning to you, Peizhi-xiānsheng. I thank you once more for your hospitality."

"Ah, good morning to you too. D-did I wake you?"

"No no, I was meditating on yesterday's events before you knocked. I enjoyed the mattress, very bouncy."

Peizhi's eyes flickered to the object in question. "I'm glad to hear that," he replied, his voice measured and tinged with confusion, though Wukong knew not why. "I have some tea and breakfast ready if you want to eat."

"Splendid! Lead the way!"

His host turned and Wukong followed him, immediately smelling the strong scents of tea and rice. When they came to the kitchen, a teapot and two bowls of rice porridge were laid out on the table, as were two empty cups.

"I don't have any stew today, so I hope you'll enjoy this," Peizhi said, gesturing to the table.

Wukong pulled back a chair, sat before a bowl, and inhaled. The aroma filled his lungs and his smile grew. "This smells magnificent! You are quite the accomplished cook!"

Peizhi blinked before slowly rubbing his head and ducking away. "It's nothing special. I eat it a lot in the mornings, helps me start the day."

The man sat before the other bowl and poured tea for them both. A quick bow later, Wukong happily slurped down his bowl.

"Ah, how long has it been since I've had a good bowl of porridge?" he asked, setting down the now-empty bowl. "You have a talent for cooking, Peizhi-xiānshēng. Take pride in it, for it is worthy of boasting. May I have another?"

His host's cheeks grew flushed, but the twitching lips he hid were plain as day to Wukong, even as he poured another serving into the Monkey King's bowl. The two resumed eating, though this time Wukong slowed his pace and savored the simple dish. The tea was the same blend as yesterday's and tasted just as good.

Wukong shifted in his place and the chair squeaked. Yet another odd detail. "Are chairs commonplace in this land? I've seen no mats for sitting or sleeping. The beds are also raised, why is that?"

Peizhi swallowed his food and hummed, his visage morphing into one of uncertainty. "That's just how it's done here and in most of the world. It's much more comfortable than a mat."

He looked at both chairs and rocked his own before grinning. "Quite right! No lumps or dirt landing in your clothes!" Peizhi idly nodded and returned to his meal, shifting his gaze between his bowl and Wukong. All the while, the Monkey King took another sip of tea, the brew flowing down his throat and soothing his mind.

'Hm, a simple meal and tea like this to start the day…what fond memories. The sand monk's brewing skills were superb among our little group.'

His smile dimmed momentarily as the issue that had plagued his slumber rose to his mind's forefront once more, nearly undoing the tea's work. 'Bah, can I not even enjoy a meal without falling into this spiralling pit!?'

He put down the cup and stopped his host from rising. "A most delightful meal Peizhi-xiānsheng, thank you. I'll go for a stroll around this quaint district of yours, so I shan't trouble you further this morning."

He moved to rise from the chair only to catch the color leaving his host's face. Odd, he hadn't done anything (thus far) to warrant such a reaction.

"Have I offended you?"

Peizhi quickly shook his head. "N-no, it's not like that! It's just, erm…" he gestured at the Monkey King, weaving his hands like he was trying to grab some object. "You are very, how to say, distinct. I'm worried that people will remember you and follow you back here," he winced as he finished the sentence.

"Ah, but I have placed this shop under my protection, don't you recall? No harm will come to it or you, regardless of my actions."

The man hesitantly glanced in the direction of the window. "Yes…but I'm not always here."

'Oh? Was that all?'

Wukong chuckled and gently waved at his host. "Your concern is understandable, Peizhi-xiānshēng, but you may put your mind at ease. If I do catch the attention of the masses, I will do my utmost to ensure I shan't be followed."

His host stammered wordlessly at his proclamation - no doubt enthralled by his generosity - before sighing and drooling his head down, giving him the slightest of nods. "...if you say so."

Wukong flashed him another toothy grin, and opened the window, letting the morning breeze caress his fur. He hopped out the window and landed outside of the circle. After he dusted off his blue robe, he turned around and saw Peizhi stick his head out the window with a worried countenance.

He gave the merchant a quick bow and somersaulted into the air, traveling barely more than a second before landing on a rooftop. Quickly hopping past a few more, he landed on a flat roof topped with white canisters and blocky decorations. Were they also a type of machinery, designed to aid whoever lived in this house?

He gazed at the field of gray stone and black tiles, casting their shadows across the streets as the Sun sent forth its first rays from the sea. Creaks and mutters began to trickle from the houses, its residents no doubt starting their day. Wukong took a deep breath and let the smell of the sea from afar and the wafting aromas of food from nearby fill his being.

'Not all that dissimilar from back home. Peasants and lords waking up for work, each all set about their course in life.' His nose wrinkled as a grumble escaped him. 'Ēmítuófó, this city's pungency is a fixture, is it? No, I shall have to get used to it, at least until I find a solution.'

Wukong sat down on the roof's ledge and idly kicked the air. Humming to himself, he looked up at the sky and felt his grin shrink until only the corners of his mouth supported it. Despite Peizhi's hearty meal, the topic from earlier still rattled around in his stone head.

"The bridge is too broken to cross this river," he softly said to himself. "Why is fact fable here?"

He looked to the sky and narrowed his eyes. He saw the past the sea of clouds and through the veil of fog, permeated with dirt and muck. The heavens morphed into inky blackness and the curtain of endless stars were displayed before him. Floating objects flew past his eye, dotted with flickering lights. He almost blinked and felt his tongue dart out of his mouth.

'These are no Celestial creations. Have the mortals wrought machines that reached the very heavens?'

He tried to focus on one such device, but a loud whirring from behind him broke his concentration. His sight pulled back from the sky and saw behind him a metal fan spinning inside one of the stone decorations. The air blowing from the fan blew past his nose and he grimaced.

'Gah, is this why the air is so foul?' He stepped closer and raised his hand, intending to rip the offending contraption out of the stone when he saw that it wasn't the only one; there were at least a few of them on every roof!

'What purpose could these possibly serve? Don't these mortals know that clean air provides a clean mind and body? What could be worth mucking up the air like this?'

Wukong snorted and surveyed his surroundings again. 'Is there a place worthy of meditation here? I do not wish to disturb Peizhi-xiānsheng so soon after leaving…' he trailed off as he kept looking until he spotted a flash of green tucked a few buildings away. His smile returned and he hopped across rooftops until he reached his goal: a small spot of grass, criss-crossed with stone pathways, standing starkly in contrast to the grey buildings around it. Benches and tables lined its edges, and at least half of the whole area was within the shade of a -

'A willow tree,' the Monkey King shook his head, his simple still present. 'Oh, how delightful.'

He moved next to the tree and rubbed one hand on its bark, the other gently picking up a golden leaf and caressing it between his fingers.

'Ah, if Lady Guanyin were to appear, she would weep in sorrow. No tree should be so enclosed by grime and rock,' he brought the leaf to his nose and sniffed it. 'Yet I smell care and resilience in this one. To grow and flourish in such conditions speaks well of its tenacity and the good nature of its gardener.'

He sat down at the base of the willow and settled into the lotus position. Taking a deep breath, he held the leaf in two hands and looked to the skies once more.

'If mortalkind has indeed breached the skies with these machines…why hasn't Heaven intervened? They are a jealous lot, I know better than most. Mortals remain below, and the gods and Buddhas remain above. An enlightened mortal or two, they would accept, but not this.' As he kept staring past the clouds and into the sea of stars, he spotted more of the objects flying past his eyes at breakneck speeds. 'There are quite a number of them…how long have these mortals been building them? And what are they doing up there, drifting above the world?'

He shifted his gaze from the sky to the south, humming as a gentle wind rustled the willow's branches. In a flash of gold that lasted a heartbeat, he spied the broken silhouettes peeking above the buildings, morphing and shimmering against the golden sky.

'These apparitions - and the so-called 'heroes' - are another enigma,' he thought. 'Peizhi-xiānshēng spoke of them as commonplace. I have yet to ask him if that is simply the case for this city or this whole kingdom of Meiguo, but even if not, they are far from subtle. One would think that the Celestial Armies would have stricken them down by now, and I've no doubt they most certainly would.

Then why haven't they?'

The Sun had begun its climb in the azure seas above. A few leaves danced as they fell from the willow's branches on the autumn wind.

'I could simply ask the local Tǔdì about the situation; they were always a helpful sort. Only I struggle to conceive of any Tudi who would live in this swamp of foul qi. Or…'

As Wukong thought of Heaven and its Hosts, his mood grew sour and his grip on the leaf tightened. He hadn't been averse to the strange murkiness within him whenever he thought of Heaven. He had suffered their distaste for him thoroughly and despite the friendships he had forged during his time there, he wasn't blind to their faults - not in the slightest. One would think his great journey would've put old grievances behind, but…

'There was a matter…and an argument. I remember the trees and rivers of my home, my children welcoming me with adoration. Then…'

Words.

Thunder.

Blades.

Screams.

Silence.

He held back a wince. The rest was naught but darkness and stone, until he awoke under moonlight next to a humble shop. 'Yet another riddle. Since I arrived in this city, I remember only those sensations. What happened to me, to have ferried me so far from my mountain?'

He felt himself sink deeper and deeper into his consciousness, trying to unveil the fog, when he felt a tap on his foot. Wukong's eyes shot open and a few paces away, wearing a blue shirt with white letters, was a little boy, barely a few winters old.

The child looked at him, his expression and countenance frozen in shock. Wukong looked down and saw an orange ball next to his knee. Looking back up, he took the ball and held it aloft.

"Hello there child. Is this your ball?"

The boy looked back and forth between him and the ball and slowly nodded.

"Do you want it back?" he asked. The poor child looked a moment away from running to the hills. Wukong gently rolled the ball to the child, watching him gingerly pick it up while never looking away.

Inwardly, the Monkey King shook his head. He may be a lot of things, but he would never make a child cry. Carefully raising his hand, he plucked a hair from his head. At the child's confused look, he blew on it and in a puff of smoke, the hair had transformed into a wooden rattle-drum.

The boy gaped at his magic and Wukong giggled loudly. He shook the rattle-drum before holding it out for the boy. The boy bit his lip, gripping the ball tightly, then tentatively began to approach Wukong. As he slowly stepped toward him, Wukong did his best not to move. Finally, once the boy was within arm's reach, Wukong placed the toy in the child's outstretched little palm. The boy quickly stepped back, still eyeing Wukong suspiciously, before he looked at the rattle-drum and gave it a shake. The two tethered balls struck the leather drum and thudded. He gave it a few more shakes and the toy rattled again.

"What is your name, child?" asked Wukong in the native tongue.

The boy froze for a moment before biting his lip. "Thao," he replied.

"Thao," Wukong repeated, rolling the name in his mouth. "That's a strong name."

The boy - Thao - stared at Wukong, drifting up and down his body. "Are you really a monkey?"

Wukong puffed up. "Why, of course I am a monkey!" He grabbed his tail and waved it in front of his face. "I wouldn't have this tail if I wasn't a monkey, would I?"

Thao looked at the tail in astonishment, his little eyes following its sway. "What kind of monkey are you? Mom got me a book with monkeys. There was one with a big red butt, another with a funny face, but I don't remember a talking monkey."

Wukong dropped his tail and grabbed another leaf, which he then twirled between his fingers. "I am a magic monkey!" He blew on the leaf and it turned into a small paintbrush.

"Cool! How did you do that?"

"Magic!" he exclaimed, handing over the brush. Thao took the brush from his hand and examined it.

"What brings you to this fine garden, Thao? Playing with your ball?"

"Y-yeah," Thao nodded. "Mom's over there sleeping and she said I could play if I stayed in the park. I kicked the ball away and it hit you…" he looked down sheepishly. "I'm sorry."

He waved him off. "'Tis fine, Thao." He gestured to the ball. "What game were you playing?"

"Um, I was just kicking it. My friends couldn't come over to play." He frowned. "Sister doesn't like playing with a ball."

"Hmm, most women don't like men's games," Wukong rubbed his chin then snapped his fingers, eyes comically wide. "That's it! I could play with you!"

"Really?" Thao asked, his eyes glimmering with hope.

"Of course! I haven't played a game in ages! I used to play all the time with my friends," Wukong rose and dusted his robes. "How do we play?"

The little boy smiled and was about to reply when he stopped and looked at his new toys. Seeing his expression, Wukong giggled.

"You can put your gifts right on the ground, little one. No one will steal them from you."

"Uh, okay!" he placed the rattle and brush next to him and moved the ball to his feet. "I kick the ball and you kick too. If I miss, I lose, if you miss, you lose."

"Then let us begin!" the Monkey King cried, bouncing on his toes.

Thao drew back, his pudgy little face scrunched up, and kicked the ball at Wukong. Said simian eyed the ball as it rolled toward him and batted it back with his tail.

Thao's eyes widened at the action even as the ball rolled back to him. "Cool!"

"I am very warm, but thank you for your concern. Do you need a coat?"

"Uh, no," Thao replied, looking at him strangely. "You're cool means you're…" he thought hard and squinted. "Awesome! You're awesome!"

Now that was a word Wukong understood. "Why thank you, little Thao."

Thao keeps staring at him, though he spots the boy flickering to his tail. "Are you a superhero? Like the ones here?"

Wukong tilted his head. "A super-hero? Funny title. I have been called something similar…" At Thao's continued staring, he flashed him a grin. "Let's make a little bet. If you win, I'll tell you if I'm a hero."

Thao nodded determinedly. "Okay! I'm gonna win, you'll see!"

"Hah! That's the spirit!"

Thus the two, a monkey and a boy, began playing their little game. Back and forth went the ball, with Thao kicking it and Wukong using his tail, hopping from side to side on one foot. While the boy was engrossed in the game, a smile of his own plastered between his plump cheeks, Wukong noted that some adults were watching them, through windows and doors. No one approached them - in fact, the few who passed nearby seemed skittish, but he spotted a couple taking out their…phones…and holding them high. 'How odd,' he thought. 'Peizhi-xiānsheng said they were used for communicating with each other and yesterday I saw people holding them next to their ears. To what purpose are they doing this?'

He mentally shrugged. 'I will ask him later. For now, I think the little one deserves a prize.'

As Thao kicked the ball at him with a yell, Wukong lowered his tail just enough for the ball to fly past him and bounce off the tree. The child stared for a moment before a triumphant grin spread across his face.

"Oh, woe is me!" Wukong exclaimed, gasping and pressing a hand to his chest. "I have been beaten by the mighty warrior! I thought I stood a chance, alas, these old bones have grown weak!"

He twirled his hand and gave a deep bow. "You have won this game fair and square, Thao. Let it not be said I am not a monkey of my word."

Straightening himself, he smiled at Thao's pumping fists, even as he waited eagerly. "You wished to know if I was a hero?" To his rapid nodding, he responded. "My travels have taken me far and wide across many lands and oceans. I have slain hundreds of yaoguai and evildoers and saved both peasants and princes. I have been called a hero, but I am much more than that!"

He raised his arm and inhaled, with the child watching in rapt fascination. "I am -"

"MEI!"

Wukong and Thao immediately turned in the shout's direction. At the edge of the park was a woman held back by two masked men. A third man stood next to them with his arms on his hips while a fourth man was holding the arm of a girl and dragging her to a large black car.

"That's my sister!" Thao cried out, his voice growing distressed. He looked around frantically before he returned to Wukong. "You've gotta save her!"

Wukong walked over and gently gripped the boy's shoulder. "Do not worry Thao, I was just about to do that. Stay back and I promise your sister will be fine."

With those words, he dashed across the park and leapt into the air. Twirling mid-jump, he brought his foot down on the third man's head and landed on his body. At once everyone turned to him. The thug under him groaned and Wukong kicked his back, silencing him.

"Good morning, gentlemen," Wukong said, his scratchy voice bright and jovial. "I would ask how are you doing on this fine day, but seeing as how you are so desperate for companionship you resort to grabbing women off the streets, I'd say you are sorely depressed."

The thugs tensed, their uncertainty plain even through their demon masks. The mother stared at him in shock and desperation, streaks running down her eyes.

"I, for one, would never shame a man for desiring company," he continued and gestured to the captive family, "so why don't you let these fair ladies go and I'll gladly help you court the women of your dreams."

The thug holding the little girl broke the group's silence.

"You think you scare us, cape?" he said, his grip on the girl tightening and causing her to whimper. "You touch us, you're dead meat. This bitch here," he gestured to the mother with his head, "didn't pay up, so her daughter's gonna serve the ABB. The dragon demands his tribute, and no one is exempted."

The mother let out a choked sob and Wukong hummed. "The dragon? Oh, do tell. It's been a while since I've seen the great long of the east."

One of the thugs drew a sharp breath. "He knows Lung?" one of them whispered. "Shit, maybe-"

"Shut up!" the apparent leader yelled before turning to Wukong. "Here's my offer. You walk away and Lung won't hang your burned corpse in the middle of these streets."

"Tempting, I do enjoy my fur in one piece," the Monkey King drawled and stroked his furry chin. "But seeing as how I made a promise to my little playmate," he lowered his hand and his smile morphed into a grin, baring his fangs for all to see.

"I'm afraid I'll have to decline."

In a burst of speed, Wukong appeared next to the mother and the two thugs. Reaching out, he gripped the arms holding the woman and wrenched them away, eliciting from them screams of pain. He pulled them back, letting the mother stumble free. In two swift motions, he let them go and grabbed their heads. Not even looking down, he banged them together, cracking their masks.

"Hmm, did I hear a hollow note?" he asked as he dropped the now-unconscious thugs. "Must explain their lack of tact."

"Mei!"

The mother's pained voice rang out again and he saw the last thug pressing at the girl's throat. The mother raised her hands and spoke to her daughter in a calm yet shaky voice. "It's okay sweetie, Mommy's here -"

"SHUT THE FUCK UP, BITCH!" yelled the leader and pressed his knife closer. He turned to Wukong and snarled. "Take one more step and I'll cut open her throat!"

Mei whimpered and her eyes brimmed with tears ready to be released. The mother cried out her daughter's name again and the thug slowly took a step back, into the open car. As for Wukong?

"Your self-esteem is worse than I thought. A man whose only strength is threatening little girls would certainly not be husband material."

The thug froze and Wukong was sure that his brow twitched. Wukong kept grinning and slowly stepped forward.

"Come now, do you not wish to prove my words wrong? To show that your chosen dharma will bring you glory?" His voice lowered an octave, resembling a growl. The thug tensed and the blade pressed deeper, on the verge of cutting the girl's fair skin. "Or have you realized that it is hollow and false…as the space inside your skull."

The Monkey King spun around and his tail whacked the knife away. The thug cursed and loosened his guard, prompting Wukong to spin again and this time, his tail wrapped around the girl's waist and pulled her away, sending her into her mother's arms. The thug sharply turned to him and reached into his jacket, but Wukong pulled out his staff from his ear and threw it at the thug. The hair-sized weapon expanded into its usual height and struck the thug head-on, sending him tumbling into the car. The machine then rumbled and Wukong spotted a face in the window. Not wasting any time, he dashed to the curb, picked up his staff, and made it shoot through the car's inside and out its door, ripping a hole. Gripping the staff with two hands, he lifted it and with it, the vehicle and its two passengers, right before he slammed them back down to the earth. The street cracked beneath the force of the blow and metal flew out of the car to the side. Not stopping for a moment, Wukong retracted his staff and walked to the broken vehicle. He ripped open the front door and tossed the driver out, sending him tumbling.

He then went to the big door and picked up the leader - who was thoroughly battered and bruised - by the hem of his jacket.

"Too bad," he mock-lamented. "Had you accepted my offer, your karma might have turned."

He turned to look at the streets, where people began walking out of the nearby buildings, looking stupefied and mortified in equal measure. Whispers and mutterings began to fill the air as more people took out their phones and held them high. As he looked, he spotted a metal cylinder with an open top a few steps away. Upon reading the words on its side, he perked up and hummed.

"You need time to reflect on your actions, and I know just where to put you," he said to the leader, who was unable to respond with anything more than slurring. He walked up to the cylinder, lifted the man high and dunked him headfirst into it.

He took a step back to admire his work and dusted his hands. "Much better! At least these mortals attempt to clean up after themselves."

With that done, he turned to the family, who were now whole and hugging each other for dear life. He approached them as he twirled his staff and they quickly took notice.

"You were so cool!" exclaimed Thao, running up to him and bouncing in place. "You just jumped and BAM! And then you went WHOOSH! And then you did it like in Street Fighter and -"

Wukong laughed heartily and patted the boy on the head. "I am pleased to know you admired my actions. It was the least I could do for providing me with such an entertaining game!"

Thao kept running around him and proclaiming his admiration. Wukong kept smiling, then he turned to the two ladies he had rescued. He approached them with measured steps, startling the two from their embrace. The mother looked at him with teary eyes and he saw her tense, strengthening the hold on her daughter.

"Thank you," she whispered. "Thank you so much. It was just one payment. They were going to take my little girl away to those -"

"It was no trouble; I could hardly stand back and watch such tragedy happen," he replied, waving his hand in reassurance. He then looked at the little girl and got down on one knee. "You must be Mei. Are you alright?" he asked gently.

Mei nodded and sniffed. Looking closer, she appeared older than Thao, with a green-white shirt and two small pigtails in her hair. He slowly reached for her face and paused when he saw the mother tense. She then nodded, and he carefully rubbed her neck, where the thug's knife was placed.

"She is unharmed, do not worry," he said to the mother. He looked at Mei again and traced her cheek with his knuckle. "You are a strong one, Mei. You did not shed tears before that villain. Take pride in your strength and the love of your family."

She nodded and whispered thanks to him. Thao came from behind him and latched onto his sister in a tight embrace, which she quickly returned just as strongly.

He stepped back and slammed his staff on the ground, drawing the attention of everyone on the street. "Hear me now!" he proclaimed with a mighty voice, looking around him. "Any who lay their hands upon children in this land will suffer the same consequences as these ruffians!" He gestured to the broken car and strewn bodies. "They claim to be led by a dragon, and to this I say: I do not fear him! I have faced his ilk before and will gladly do so again! If he wishes to fight, then he need only ask, and Old Sun will gladly show him his place!"

He returned his gaze to the family, who stared at him with slack jaws and wide eyes filled with tears and hope. "You asked me if I was a hero, Thao? Then ease your fears, for I am Sun Wukong! Yaoguai flee before me and the heavens tremble at my might! As long as I am here, none of you shall face such tragedy again."

Silence reigned and Wukong took in their stares and whispers. A fire burning in his chest, he nodded to himself internally.

'Heaven will surely take notice of my actions in due time. If they wish to reprimand me, then they shall come down here themselves! I need not pander to their whims, not anymore. And when they do, I will demand answers from them as to the state of this land!'

With that mental decision, he smiled at the family and held out his hand. "With all that unpleasantness out of the way, do you know where I could find some nachos?"

Elsewhere, in a kitschy store, a shopkeeper was doing his best impression of a strangled chicken as he slumped on his counter and stared at the headline on his phone.

LIVE: NEW CAPE IN BROCKTON BAY! ABB KIDNAPPING FOILED AND HUMILIATED! PRT EN ROUTE!

Ta-da! Here I am! Brand new chapter! I loved the last one's reception!

Not much to talk about here, Wukong thinking about this new world and playing with some kids. Hope you don't mind, because I love these little moments. There will be more. Also, who here can spot the reference to one of the most recent JTTW adaptations?

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Chapter 860 - 4-6