Chapter Text
“Mama?”
“Yes, love?”
“Tell me the story of the Monkey King again.”
“Again? Haven’t I already told you about it millions of times before?”
“I know. But can you tell me again? I like it.”
A mother sighs wearily, looking down at the foot of the bed where the child stands expectantly with glowing eyes and a bright smile. Mingjue huffs, amused and pats the empty spot next to her and sets the book aside. Grinning, Xiaotian scrambles onto the bed and snuggles up to his mother.
Clearing her throat, Mingjue begins to tell the tale of the great Monkey King, the Great Sage in all of China.
“Listen close, Xiaotian,” She begins, “The first thing you must understand is that a tale never ends, it only begins.
Now, this one begins when, rising from the Nether World itself, the Demon Bull King attacks.”
Xiaotian giggles with excitement, watching as the shadows that flickered in the lamp light take the form of the story.
A village, a demon takes place, shadows morphing under his mother’s own will. Mingjue smiles softly at the excited giggles Xiaotian gave away.
“He was unstoppable, a force that no one dared to challenge. The Demon Bull King tore the village apart with his mighty weapon. All seemed lost and no one could resist until-.”
“Until the Monkey King arrived, high up in the clouds of Heaven! He wielded his awesome and amazing staff and he-!” Xiaotian stops short of his rambling when Mingjue clears her throat.
“I thought I was the one telling the story, Xiaotian?” Mingjue asks with an amused tone to her voice. The shadows melt away in the lamp light as Mingjue lets go of her powers’ control.
Xiaotian giggles sheepishly, sitting back down onto the mattress when he realized that he had interrupted his mother in all of his excitement. Mingjue chuckles in her low voice.
“Sorry, mama.” Xiaotian apologizes.
“It’s alright, Xiaotian. You always get excited whenever the Monkey King comes into the story, it’s amusing.” Mingjue smiles softly as the child snuggles back into his mother’s embrace.
“Can you continue the story?”
“Will you interrupt me again?”
“I dunno.” Xiaotian gives a shrug and Mingjue barks out a laugh, although it was short-lived.
Nonetheless, Mingjue continues the story.
“Where was I? Ah yes.
The Demon Bull King rampages across the village and all was lost, the village almost laid to waste. No one was strong enough to challenge him and no one could resist him either. Not until the legendary Monkey King arrived!”
Mingjue watches Xiaotian burst into fits of excited giggles once more as the shadows morphed and shaped.
“It was a ferocious battle, Demon against Sage.
The legendary Monkey King, Great Sage Equal to the Heavens itself, fought with power and strength. The Demon Bull King had nothing against the powerful Sage himself. While the Demon Bull King was strong in ways I can never comprehend, the Monkey King was stronger with his magical staff.”
The shadows took the form of the two characters in the story, clashing against each other in an epic battle that recreated the scene of old stories. Xiaotian continues to smile with glee as he watches, cheering for the Monkey King.
There are no words needed for the fight scene between the Monkey King and the Demon Bull King. Mingjue is content with sitting back and watching as the shadows meshed into one another and formed the beautiful images of war and battle. Eventually, it draws close to the end and Mingjue begins to speak again.
“Then, with his magical staff, the Monkey King sliced a nearby mountain in half to grab the top half of it and he raised it above the Demon Bull King. With all of his might and all of his power, the legendary Monkey King brings the mountain down and seals the Demon Bull King beneath it, forever.”
The scene plays out and Xiaotian cheers in delight, falling back and onto his mother into a fit of giggles.
“The Monkey King, leaving his staff behind, a weapon that no other being could ever wield, disappeared forever. And no one has seen him since.” Mingjue continues, twisting her hand as the scenery shifts, “Legend has it, the staff is still on that mountain today and no mortal or being has been able to move it, for if they did, then the Demon Bull King will rise once again to rain destruction upon us all.”
The final scenes play out and once the story hits the end, Mingjue lets the shadows melt back into their original forms and shapes. Xiaotian claps and he cheers.
“I love it, I love it, I love it!!” He gushes and jumps to his feet, the bed bouncing when he does, “Monkey King is so cool, mama! He’s so strong and handsome and amazing!!”
He turns to look at her with shimmering eyes, stars dancing back and forth, “Did you meet him, mama? Did you?”
Mingjue gives her son a small smile, “Only one time, Xiaotian. But it was a long time ago.”
“Can you tell me? Can you??”
“Next time, love. It is already past your bedtime and you get cranky when you sleep late.”
Xiaotian pouts, “I do not.”
Nonetheless, he crawls back into place and tucks himself under Mingjue’s arm. Curling into a ball and clutching his Monkey King plushie close to his chest, he smiles, content and sighs into his mother’s side. Mingjue pulls the blankets over them, patting the child down before leaning her head down to plant a kiss gingerly on the crown of his hair.
“Goodnight, Xiaotian.” She whispers.
“Night Mama…” Xiaotian whispers in turn.
Mingjue turns off the light.