Well, this was a fun and interesting chapter. :3
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*At Pigsy's Noodles.*
"Button mash all you want, Mk. You'll never beat my Ancient Galloping Fury Power." said Mei as she was playing Monkey Mech with Mk.
"Up smash, up smash!" said Sandy, cheering Mk on.
"I'm trying, Sandy. Okay? I'm trying, I'm trying." said Mk as he kept pressing the buttons as fast as possible.
"Doesn't look like you are trying hard enough." said Miwa, watching them play and could already see Mei was winning.
Mei laughs. "No one can defeat me." Mei's phone starts ringing. "Oh boy. Hi, Mom. Yes. Of course. Yes, Mother."
"Oh, don't you even dare Mk." Miwa took over Mei's spot and began beating Mk.
"Awww, come on! Miwa, this was the chance for me to win here!" Mk complained, trying to now beat Miwa but was only losing.
"You can't cheat yourself to a win, that wouldn't be a fair fight." said Miwa, destroying him in the game.
"Hey, you okay there, Mei?" Sandy had gone on to check on Mei.
"Yeah. It's just my parents, they want me to housesit." said Mei with a sad expression.
"And that's a bad thing?" Sandy asked.
"No. Me and my parents, we–" said Mei before being cut off.
"Uh, did Mei say sleepover at her house?" said Mk excited.
"What? No. My parents would want–" Mei tried explaining but kept getting cut off.
"Sleepover! I've always wanted to see inside Mei's secret Dragon House full of secret dragon stuff. Come on, please? Please, please, please, please, please?" said Mk, begging to have a sleepover at her place.
"I'm with Mk, please Mei. I haven't been able to visit your place in so long, unless with an extra friend." said Miwa.
"Sleepover it is." said Mei with a heavy sigh. "Mimi, please don't try and steal anything like last time."
"Ah yeah. This sleepover is going to be amazing. You know what? I'll bring my Monkey King DVDs so we can have a marathon." said Mk with a lot of excitement.
"It was one time, Mei, your parents overreacted. Besides, it was just a diamond." Miwa gave a slight shrug.
"It was more than just one diamond, and you know it." said Mei, not liking those old memories.
"Wait, what did you try to steal at Mei's place?" Mk questioned.
Miwa shrugged at his question."Nothing much just, a diamond, a sword, a few artifacts, an old scroll, money, a TV, jewels, a gaming machine and some fancy looking silverware but in gold instead of silver."
Everyone looked over at her in surprise after she told them everything she had tried to steal over at Mei's place.
"That is a lot of stuff." said Sandy.
"That is an understandable reason for Mei's parents not wanting you visiting." said Pigsy standing by the counter.
"Sounds like something the Monkey King would do in his younger days." said Tang who was eating some noodles and reading a book about the history of the monkey king.
"Unlike Mei, Wukong didn't or wouldn't get caught until it was too late." Akal added, traveling with the others now.
"How long ago was this?" Mk asked.
"Hmmm, probably five years ago. So I would be fourteen at the time." said Miwa, getting a little uncomfortable by the others staring at her. "Anyway, I'm gonna head back home and pack a few things for the sleepover."
"Hey Akal, do you wanna come with us for the sleepover?" Mk asked after Miwa had left.
"Why do you think I'm following? Hm?" Akal remarked, having her monotone voice on full display now.
*At Miwa's apartment.*
Miwa grabbed some clothes and a few other things for the sleepover. "Hmm, I should probably leave a note for Wukong, I'm sure he is gonna come by at some point tonight. The last thing I want is a fucking monkey worrying where I am."
It had been at least a week since they met Akal, and Miwa was now back to working at Pigsy's noodles.
While it was nice that Akal had made it so Wukong couldn't sneak into the apartment, she had gotten a little used to having him around. So it got kind of lonely when he wasn't around, though she would never admit it. Since that would mean she was letting another person into her personal life. But she was able to have Akal remove the magic she had put on her apartment.
Miwa hummed a soft tune as she wrote a note for Wukong, and placed it on a table.
"Having a sleepover at Mei's place, so I will not be home until tomorrow.
If I don't return I might be in prison.
Just thought you should know, you old monkey."
"Why does this sound like I'm telling my dad, I wouldn't be home and he shouldn't worry about me not coming home at the right time." Miwa shook her head and grabbed her stuff, now heading out of her apartment.
*Mk, Miwa, Mei, Sandy and Akal arrive at Mei's house.*
"It's even better than I thought. Growing up here must have been great." said Mk, amazed.
"Yeah, I guess. But–I don't know. When I was growing up, I just wanted to be rough and tumble. Break stuff. Look at bugs. You know, have fun just like normal girl stuff. But when your house is pretty much a museum and you come from a long line of ancient, noble dragons, that's kind of frowned on. Anyway. Onwards to the definitely-not-going-to-be-terrible sleepover." Mei's friends beside Miwa and Akal dash off, not getting her message, and Mei sighs.
"Should have seen that coming." said Miwa, shaking her head and followed Mei right after the others.
"Whoa." said Mk and Sandy with big eyes.
*The house's security system aims at Mk, Miwa, Akal and Sandy. Mostly at Miwa, but Mei disarms it.*
"Yeah, my parents are a bit serious about the old security thing. Mostly after Mimi, here tried to steal from us." said Mei.
"Damn, they really went all out. I didn't think, me stealing would get this far. This must be a new record for me." said Miwa.
"Welcome home, Mei." said the security system.
"Yeah." said Mei with an awkward smile.
"This is amazing. I can't believe you never mentioned being here Miwa." said Mk.
"Whoa. What is all this stuff?" asked Sandy.
"Ah, you know. Gifts, artifacts, offerings. Just stuff that's been in my family for–guys. Wait!" said Mei until she saw them going through the stuff.
"If I had all this stuff, I don't even know what I would do. Sell it, probably." said Mk.
"Yeah, this stuff looks really great. Looks like a few good years, maybe. Centuries." said Sandy.
"Guys, stop! Hands in pockets now. Follow me. You guys are such menaces, you know that?" Mei let out a sigh, shaking her head. "Miwa! That goes for you too! Hands off that golden statue!"
"Awww, but I was just taking a closer look at it." said Miwa, pouting a little.
"As if, that's what you said the last time. Now keep your hands to yourself and follow." said Mei.
"Fineee." Miwa let out a heavy sigh.
*Mei leads them on a tour of her house.*
"This is the garage filled with all the awesome things I am not allowed to drive. This is one of our many long hallways. We also have the Celestial Jade Garden, the room with the 30 centuries of antiques, Pool of a Thousand Tears, tea and snack room, and my bedroom. And this is the Dragon Claw Chamber." Mei explained while giving them a tour.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Hold up." Mk approaches and geeks out over the Dragon Blade. "Whoa. Now this thing is cool. So what's the dealio with this dealy, yo?"
"That's the sword of my great-great-great times a thousand great-grandfather, the Dragon of the West. Legends say that my grandfather imbued it with unimaginable power so that our clan would always have the strength of the dragon to protect them. Its true power will only show itself to those deemed worthy. A true member of our clan who's proven themselves strong enough to protect our family from the forces of evil. But I'm not allowed to touch it. Hey, anyone want to see the game room?" Mei explained, until she changed the subject.
"Yeah." said Mk.
"All right." said Sandy.
"Sure, it's been a while since I saw that room." said Miwa.
*In the game room Mk fools around with the pinball machine.*
"A pinball machine? I've always wanted to try one of these." said Mk.
"Yeah, now this place is home. All right. You three boot up the old TV. I will go get some sn-n-n-nacks. Okay, don't break anything while I'm gone!" said Mei and began leaving.
"Ha. "Don't break anything while I'm gone." Yeah, right." Mk breaks the pinball machine plunger. "Noooo."
"Wait, I'll come with you and help." said Miwa, catching up to her while ignoring the sound of Mk breaking something.
"Thanks Mimi, but I thought you would stay back with the others. Mostly since you have a crush on Mk." Mei teased by wiggling her eyebrows, while they went to the kitchen.
Miwa rolled her eyes with a slight blush growing on her face. "I don't have a crush, besides I thought I would help you instead."
"Well at least you aren't gonna steal anything." Mei opened some closets and grabbed some random snacks. "Right? I don't want my parents coming after me, from having you over and stealing stuff again."
"I'll do my best not to steal anything, but you know it's kind of hard in a place like yours." said Miwa, taking some of the snacks. "Now, do we have everything we need?"
"Hmm let me see." They started heading back as Mei checked that they had everything. "Party, board games, snacks, Bull Clone." They passes by General Ironclad struggling to steal the Dragon Sword.
"Wait, what?" said Miwa, raising an eyebrow.
They both quickly backtracks. General Ironclad realizes they're staring at him. "Wait a minute, you're a Bull Clone!"
"What the fuck are you doing here! Also stealing stuff is my thing!" Miwa narrowed her eyes as she raised her hands ready for a fight.
General Ironclad looks at both of them and kicks the jade green stand in Mei's face and runs off with the sword. But not before quickly grabbing Miwa, thinking Redson would be happy to see her.
"What the fuck! Let me go, you stupid tin can!" Miwa shouted.
"Hey! Get back here!" shouted Mei running after them.
Mei chases General Ironclad through her house as he destroys her parents' artifacts and escapes on one of the previous vehicles. She whistles for her White Dragon Horse Bike.
"I am really getting tired of this!" Miwa tried breaking free by using her cosmic powers, but she couldn't find any time to concentrate.
"There's gotta be something I can do here." Miwa looked around her, while being stuck on the vehicle that General Ironclad was driving. "Mei!" She shouted when she saw her trying to catch up.
"Don't worry Miwa! I'll save you!" shouted Mei chasing after them on her bike.
"Okay, I'm really getting tired of being saved all of the time." Miwa hated that she always had to be saved by someone. It made her feel like she couldn't do anything herself. "....I couldn't even save da-" She felt a painful headache as a small memory returned.
While distracted by the headache Miwa didn't notice herself shapeshifting into a red bird with a few white feathers, while still having those freckles on her face.
"Miwa! Did you just become a bird?!" shouted Mei, surprised as Miwa got free from General Ironclad, causing her to fall off the vehicle screeching as she tried moving her wings.
Mei crashes into the vehicle on her bike. Catching Miwa, as the three go flying. Mei slams into a wall and the Dragon Blade impales itself above her head. She puts down Miwa and reaches up and takes hold of it.
"What the fuck! How am I a bird?! Why am I a bird?! Somebody explain it to me!" Miwa was screeching and making bird noises, but couldn't be understood by anyone as she just kept moving her wings in confusion.
"The Dragon Blade?" said Mei, catching Miwa's attention.
Mei's dragon ancestors appear surrounding her. They mumble things about her. But Miwa doesn't see or hear any of it.
"You know what? I am part of this family. I am Mei. Descendant of the great Dragon of the West Sea. This is mine, and this is my house." Mei harnesses the power of the Dragon Blade. She hovers midair, staring down General Ironclad.
"Oooh, you are so dead." Miwa watched as she was sitting on Mei's shoulder.
"Get out of my house." Mei blasts General Ironclad outside with a beam of green light.
Mei got back on the ground, and turned her head to Miwa who was sitting on her shoulder. Still in her bird form. "Aww you are so cute!"
Miwa narrowed her eyes at her, and just started pecking her.
"Aaah! Mimi, stop, stop! I take it back, not cute! Not cute at all!" shouted Mei as she tried blocking her face from being pecked by Miwa's sharp beak.
It wasn't long until Mk showed up and found them in the hall. "So, um, Mei, you know that really cool–Mei? Mei, what happened? What's with the bird?"
"Mk. Someone tried to steal the Dragon Sword. I stopped them with this, the Dragon Sword. Also the bird is Miwa." Mei explained with a big smile, while her face was covered in a few scratches from Miwa pecking her beak at her.
"Whoa, the Dragon Sword. That's–Mei, I'm really glad you stopped them, also cool to see Miwa getting a new power, but I have a confession to make. I accidentally–" said Mk before being cut off.
"Accidentally what?" Mei asked.
"What did you guys do?" Miwa tilted her head to the side.
"Accidentally... didn't know what was going on. Wow, that thing's amazing." said Mk with a nervous smile.
Miwa narrowed her eyes at him, he was clearly hiding something.
"Ahem." Someone cleared their throat, getting the others' attention.
Mei quickly turned around, causing Miwa to fall off and return to her human form. "Mom, Dad. You're back."
"Ouch, well at least I'm not a bird anymore." Miwa slowly got up.
"We were on our way when we realized somebody forgot our luggage." said Mrs. Dragon.
"Um, Sandy, were you kind of expecting Mei's parents to be literally two, big, scary dragons?" Mk asked, looking over at Sandy.
"Um, no." said Sandy, feeling a bit flustered about believing that.
"They might not be big dragons, but believe me. They can be pretty scary." said Miwa.
"Miwa, you've gotta tell me how you changed into a bird. You looked so cute!" said Mk with a big smile.
A slight blush grew on Miwa's face as she tried to act normal. "I don't really know, to be honest. I just had a headache and then..."
"And what?" Mk questioned.
"I remembered something from my past, but it's a little blurry." said Miwa.
Mk's eyes widened from hearing this, and was about to ask before their attention turned to Mei and her family.
"I can explain. Someone tried to steal the sword. I didn't let them. And I used this. I'm sorry." said Mei, going on to return the sword.
"We saw the whole thing." said Mr. Dragon.
"But I couldn't just–" Mei tried explaining before being cut off.
"And we're so proud of you." said Mr. Dragon with a smile.
"What?" Mei looked at her parents in confusion.
"The Dragon Blade is the pride of our family heritage. Its power only shows itself to those that embrace their history. Their family." said Mr. Dragon.
"We may not always see eye-to-eye, and your friends are more unique than we expected, but you are a part of this family. And it is part of you. We love you." said Mrs. Dragon.
"I love you too, Mom. Dad." They embrace and Mk joins the hug. "I am sorry about the house, though."
Miwa watched the happy family, and could feel the sadness inside herself. She has always wanted a family since she was little, but she got kicked out from each foster family, and she couldn't remember who her real parents were. She didn't even know if they were even around and looking for her or not.
"What's important is that you are okay. Objects can be replaced." said Mrs. Dragon.
"Everything except my prized pinball machine. That is irreplaceable." said Mr. Dragon.
Mk winces nervously, which caught Miwa's attention as she looked over at him, shaking her head.
*Night time, at Mei's place.*
The group was sitting in the game room, watching the Monkey King from the DVDs Mk had brought with him for them all to watch.
Miwa saw that the others had fallen asleep, so she got up and walked outside the house, while grabbing a random bag of chips to snack on. She used the air to easily get up on the roof and sat down, looking up at the stars.
A small smile grew on Miwa's face while looking at the stars, but let out a slight sigh. Thinking back to that memory. "Who were those people....and why did one of the voices sound like. Wu-What the fuck?!" She had turned her head only to see a butterfly on her shoulder.
The butterfly gave a nervous smile. "Just wanted to check up on you, and make sure you weren't in prison." The butterfly changed into Wukong as he sat down next to her.
"So you did sneak into my apartment again, and yet you still find a way to bother me." Miwa rolled her eyes, and wrapped her arms around her legs. Pulling them closer with a sigh.
Wukong let out a slight chuckle, but gently patted her head. "So what are you doing out here at night? Thought you would be back inside with your friends."
Miwa gave a slight shrug. "I like being outside and lis-watching the stars."
"Seems like there is more to it than that." Wukong looked over at her with a raised eyebrow.
Miwa let out a heavy sigh, with a sad look in her eyes. ".....It's painful to watch someone having a happy family."
"Oh...." Wukong started feeling a little awkward about this, but could understand what she meant. "Because you want one too?"
Miwa didn't give him an answer, but just kept her focus on the stars in the sky.
"Hey." Wukong wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close. "Don't be so down about it, who knows maybe your family is still out there looking for you."
Miwa was taken by surprise when he wrapped an arm around her, but didn't really fight it. She wasn't sure why but having him around made her feel safe. "I don't think so, if they were looking for me, they would have found me a long time ago."
Wukong let out a nervous wince, feeling like she was stabbing him in the heart with that one. "Don't lose hope, Sunny, I'm sure they are still searching for you. If I had a kid I certainly would."
A soft smile grew on Miwa's face, as she remembered in that memory, that someone had called her that same nickname. She rested her head on his shoulder as she looked up at the stars, for a short moment two white tails were wagging ever so slightly from how happy she felt, before the tails faded away.
Wukong had taken notice of the tails, and grew a smile seeing that. "You're growing stronger, my little monkey. Hopefully one day you will be back to normal."
Miwa almost forgot about the bag of chips she brought with her, so she pulled them up to take a look, only to see that she had picked a flavor that she didn't like. But that didn't stop her from getting a mischievous idea.
"What you got there, freckles?" Wukong asked, curiosity peaked on what it was.
"Oh, just a bag of chips, sadly they are peach flavored with a hint of orange." Miwa gave him the bag of chips.
"Oh yeah, you can't eat anything that is peach flavored." Wukong took the bag of chips and opened it. "A bit of a shame, you are missing out on the best flavor."
Miwa rolled her eyes, while trying to act like normal. "Whatever you say, old monkey."
Wukong took one of the chips and ate it in one bite, but soon regretted it as his face turned all red and then spit out fire, while screaming from how spicy the flavor was.
Miwa bursted out laughing at his reaction, holding her stomach because of how hard she was laughing. "I can't believe you fell for it!"
Wukong took a look at the bag of chips and saw the flavor was actually a super spicy one, he turned his head to glare over at Miwa.
"You should have seen yourself!" Miwa was still laughing out loud while pointing at him. "Your reaction was pure gold, dada!"
When the word "dada" came out Miwa had stopped laughing, and just froze while Wukong looked surprised at her.
"I-I am so sorry I didn't–I don't....I should go." Miwa quickly got off the roof and rushed back inside with a flustered face. "Why did I call him that of all things, that's so embarrassing."
Wukong just stayed on the roof, still surprised at what she called him. "Her memories are returning."
"Wukong, I'm going to see him. I need a favour from him." Akal appeared telling Wukong such and then vanishing once more.
*Mastraldon..?*
Akal walked into a deep black onyx estate that had two Black Armored Guards that looked like Demons with they're Armor alone.
"Ah? Lady Blanc." One Guard said, bowing in respect before the other Guard followed in bowing to Akal as well.
"Hello, Dante and Vergil. I am here to speak with Father." Akal said, knowing the two guards' names and mentioning a "father".
The two guards nodded in agreement and opened the door to the estate. Akal walked into the estate hoping to be able to do what she wanted.
*End*