Coronation
Using the peace they had acquired, the two adolescent heroes spent their days exploring the land outside their territory. At first, they played a simple game of tag-fight but somewhere along the way, they stumbled upon a large clearing with a breathtaking, large waterfall.
Curious, the two walked along the closest stone bridge in front of the waterfall, looking down to see how far the waterfall went. It was an immeasurable distance down, but that wasn’t what interested them. They looked at the top of the waterfall and then at each other.
Without missing a beat, Shihou’s blood was already pumping with curiosity and energy. “We should totally try to climb up it!”
Although the macaque is typically strung along with her whims, he felt that there was something strange about the waterfall. With just a few quick observations, he connected the dots he was looking for.
“This must be that legendary waterfall. From what our ancestors said, the one who can overcome this waterfall has the qualities of a revolutionary king-” Liu’er Mihou abruptly stopped himself as he remembered just who was next to him.
One look at the golden simian and he knew he definitely fucked up. ‘Fuck… I should have not said that!’
Eyes twinkling and tail wagging into a blur, Shihou excitedly grabbed his hand and asked expectedly, “Then what are we waiting for?”
Shaking her hand off, the older macaque immediately scolded the other, “No! Can you not see how deep of a drop this is?! This waterfall has taken too many stupid lives of people who recklessly went after that old wives’ tale. It’s too dangerous!”
He should have known that the stone simian would never listen to him when something this intriguing and enticing was presented in front of her. All his words were ultimately wasted on her as they basically went in one ear and out of the other.
“We’ll be fine! We’re strong!” Without waiting for her best friend to say anything else, the stone simian just jumped out, prompting the macaque to scream her name in anger and fear. “SHIHOU!”
Instead of slamming into the rocks on the waterfall, the golden simian just disappeared through the waterfall. Shock turned into confusion then to worry. Just then, a golden head poked out of the waterfall.
“Liu’er! There is a cave here!” She waved out to him, completely ignorant of the emotions she caused the other to have.
After letting out a sigh of relief, he crossed his arms and scolded with even more fervor than before. “You better be glad that there was a cave there! How could you be so reckless?!”
The other simply rolled her eyes before her head disappeared into the water. Taking a running start, she jumped up and out of the curtain of water, flying up to the bridge where the macaque was. Involuntarily, Liu’er’s body moved on its own to catch her.
He had no idea what compelled him to catch the stone simian as she was more than capable of landing just fine but that instinctive decision instantly turned to regret. Due to the direction and velocity, the golden simian practically slammed into him. Being completely soaked from the waterfall, she drenched the macaque with her wet body that was closely pressed against his.
Although it had not been long since the stone simian joined them, her body was rapidly developing and growing towards adulthood and that included her feminine qualities. And another unfortunate part of all this was that she was still ignorant of what these changes meant to everyone around her and that itself had brought much misfortune upon the kingdom. This instance was not an exception as she playfully and foolishly pulled him into a tighter hug causing her plump chest automatically to press against his, causing him to shove her off of him instantly.
Unsure of what expression he was showing on his face, Liu’er Mihou opted to turn away from his best friend in embarrassment and shame. ‘Gods, just how dumb is she?! UGH!’
Staring innocently, Shihou tried her best to decipher what caused the sudden rejection by her best friend. Although Shihou saw his cute six ears turn red, she didn’t know what had caused it. She did find it adorable but she knew the other would feel shy if said that out loud. If he knew what she was thinking, he might hide his ears away like before and she definitely did not want that.
Not knowing how to react, Shihou redirected her attention back to the waterfall. Grabbing his hand, she led him to the edge of the bridge and tried to persuade the other. “Come on! Jump with me!”
Seeing her nonchalant attitude and cheeky smile, he could only helplessly shake his head with a smile and follow her lead like he always has. In unison, they both jumped right into the cave and shook their heads dry of water. Now feeling adventurous and courageous, they both decided to walk further into the dark cave. Very soon, they stopped in front of an enormous double-stone door.
Placing his ears on the door, the six-eared macaque knocked on the door before he relayed, “It sounds around 6 inches thick.” Straightening up, he concluded, “It would be tough to break it even with our strength. Even if we could, it would cause this cave to collapse and I doubt we want to be buried in here.”
A smile crept onto the golden simian’s face as she placed her hands on one of the doors. Understanding her actions, the dark simian put his hands on the opposite door. With a synchronous nod towards each other, they both pushed on the door. Seeing that the door wasn’t budging, they both put forth everything all at once. After a few seconds without any movement, they both stopped.
“It isn’t moving.” Shihou pouted.
Finding her expression cute, the other smiled as he shrugged his shoulders. “It is what it is. The stone seems heavier than it seems and we aren’t even strong enough to push it open. It could even be imbued with magic for all we know.”
Not willing to give up so easily on something so intriguing, Shihou jumped back up with determination. “No! There must be a way!” Without faltering, she began to investigate around the door as the macaque sat on the floor and watched with amusement.
The other knew that the golden simian was too stubborn for her good. Even the simian king could not stop her from acting if she was obstinate about something. There was nothing they could do but make a workaround, so while he sat there watching her, he was using his extraordinary ears to listen for clues.
Even with Shihou’s keen eyes, there was nothing out of the ordinary. Getting frustrated, Shihou quietly shouted in frustration (due to Liu’er’s sensitive hearing), “UGH! There really isn’t anything! This goddamn door!” Unable to bear her frustrations, she just unleashed it by punching the door.
What the two didn’t expect was that this outburst would actually open the door. From where the stone simian landed the punch, golden energy filled the engravings on the door, slowly making its way throughout the door. Alarmed by the sudden change of events, both simians jumped away from the door, unsure if it was actually opening or activating its defensive mechanisms.
Once all the engravings turned to gold, a burst of light beamed from the doors as they opened on their own as if greeting their master. The two looked at each other and then at the opening with bewilderment and disbelief. The golden simian was the first to snap out of it and express her excitement.
She celebrated her achievement with a jump and cheer, “We did it!” Grabbing her friend’s hand, she dragged him towards the door, “Come on! Let’s go!”
Knowing there was no stopping her, the other just allowed himself to be dragged around as they explored the inside of the cave. From the little exploring they did, they quickly realized one fact and that is that this place was massive. From areas with large lush forests to endless, long hallways with even more rooms, there was just no end to it.
Walking along the largest hallway they found, they found themselves in what seemed like an enormous open banquet hall-like room with a throne down the aisle. Almost like she was entranced, the golden simian couldn’t help but be pulled towards the throne, moving mindlessly towards it. After reaching just short in front of the throne, Shihou snapped out of it and stopped herself.
“What’s wrong?” The macaque asked with a growing mischievous smirk, “I thought you wanted to sit on the throne, My Queen~”
Shihou froze at those words. Although the stone simian had known the macaque for several months now, this was the first time the other’s words had brought this sort of weird and indescribable emotion within her. Grabbing her chest, she attempted to calm her rapidly beating heart and the heat that refused to settle down.
Even while these unknown emotions were swirling inside of her, a desire she knew all too well overpowered it all, taking control of her and her next actions. Approaching the throne once more, she finally sat herself down pompously and arrogantly with hints of playfulness. She then looked at her friend with a proud wide smile causing the other to laugh at her a moment later.
The other couldn’t help but think of how cute the other was acting by putting on such a proud smile and attitude while merely sitting on a stone chair. But at the same time, he also felt a deep fervor, anticipation, and indescribable desire at the sight of the golden simian on that stone throne.
The idea of this simple yet reckless golden simian actually becoming a queen had never crossed his mind, but now that it has, it was an idea that he was willing to put down his life for. Thankfully, that wish was shortly fulfilled.
In exchange for their short moment of peace, their enemies had grown even stronger. On the day Demon King Hunshi returned, everything changed, they were stronger, more cunning, and more ruthless. Unlike the previous invasions, they easily bulldozed through the various defenses and traps the simians had prepared.
Shihou and Liu’er Mihou were quick to take action, jumping to the front lines to attack the demon generals. Although the pair was strong, they were no match for the hundreds of soldiers and generals. In the end, this very result was already seen through by the “Demon King.”
“There is something off about this, Shihou.” Liu’er Mihou assessed as he swiftly killed another set of demon soldiers.
The stone simian was already on it, meticulously analyzing her opponents and relaying her findings. “These demons are unfamiliar… Demon King Hunshi must have recruited new demons and they are not weak! Plus, these tactics seemed to be… different… more meticulous, more cunning… Wait, where is the Demon King?”
The pair noticed one step too late, the Demon King with his newfound strength, cut through the rest of the barricades and traps in one fell swoop. It was incomprehensible that the impulsive and inpatient demon would have actually had such a thing planned. That is not to mention the absurd strength that he has quickly cultivated in such a short time.
There was definitely more to this situation but the pair had little time to analyze further. Now that their last defenses had been destroyed, the simians had no choice but to retreat. To protect their citizens and injured soldiers, Marshal Liu and General Ba were quick to assist the retreat. Seeing this situation, the two simians had to switch tactics.
While watching each other’s backs, they paved their way back to what once was their home. Although it took less than a minute to get back, it was more than enough time for the demons to wreck their home. Seeing this, the two felt even more enraged and made the telepathic agreement to kill these insolent demons and start a blood-trailing rampage.
Fine. If they want to choose to be ruthless then they will pay that sentiment a thousandfold!
They were not the only ones who felt this way as many of the simian soldiers became ever more motivated and violent, however, mere emotions were not enough to turn the tide. They were losing more and more on their side, in the end, they would lose. It was more than obvious in the eyes of the experienced Macaque King but he also understood that they needed to buy time for the others to run and hide.
He can’t have their sacrifices be in vain. With haste, the Old Macaque King formed a plan of action. Knowing that the key to victory resided in the two adolescent simians, everything connected in an instant. Using Liu’er’s excellent hearing, he relayed the plan to him.
Seeing her best friend momentarily distracted, Shihou was quick to cover for him while trying to alert him. “Liu’er, what are you spacing out for?! Stay focused! We have to teach these bastards a lesson!”
Instead of his usual remarks, the macaque maneuvered closer to the golden simian. In a simultaneous motion, he pulled the other into his arms while he killed off any enemies nearby. Not only was Shihou shocked by his action, but she felt that weird and hot emotion violently storm inside her again.
She never expected the exclusive macaque to initiate such an intimate action, especially not on the battlefield. She didn’t know why such an action made her feel like so but in the next moment, all of those thoughts and emotions were replaced with disappointment.
Without removing his attention from their enemies, he whispered the plan to Shihou. “Grandpa wants us to distract them and hold them off long enough for the rest to evaluate. Once he gives the signal, the three of us will make our retreat.”
“Okay…” Shihou replied in a dejected tone, not noticing how her disappointment had seeped into her words.
Ignorantly, the young macaque misunderstood the reason why the other felt that way and laughed at her. “What? You want to continue killing these bastards forever? Look, as much as I love carnage and seeing you fight, there is a limit to everything.”
Although he was smiling and laughing, everything he had said was the truth. He really did love seeing the golden simian fight. The way she smiled, acted, and played around on the battlefield was the most entertaining thing ever and Shihou could feel that without him having to actually tell her.
Feeling remotivated, she got out of his arms with a smile and a nod of understanding. Facing her back towards his, she readied herself for battle. “Together?”
“Together.” The other replied before the two went on a complete murdering spree, turning the battlefield into a bloodbath and successfully drawing the attention of the stronger forces.
The two didn’t know how much time had passed but when they saw the Old Macaque King joining them in their fight, they knew it was time for them to retreat. With great skill and strength, the three were able to shake the demon army off their tails and make it to their temporary shelter.
Everyone was momentarily happy and relieved thanks to their King’s return but the aftermath was devastating. Influenced by the somber atmosphere the stone simian quickly discovered another unpleasant new emotion causing the stone simian to huddle next to the macaque. Liu’er Mihou wasn’t unaffected by the atmosphere, he also felt a deep sadness and hopelessness at the loss of their home.
Using each other as their sense of comfort, the two tails simultaneously intertwined as they sat in silence. Liu’er moved his scarf over his nose as he closed his eyes, seemingly blocking everything out. Shihou, on the other hand, took the dark macaque’s hand into hers as she sat up completely straight. It was as if she was putting on a brave front while she subtly hid her true feelings.
The four advisors of the king had already started discussing their next plan. With their old ancestral home destroyed and burned to ruins, they now had nowhere else to go. What makes this situation even more difficult is the fact that they have active pursuers.
Before the generals and marshals got too far, Shihou couldn’t help but interrupt. “There is a place where we could go. It is large enough to hold all of us and is pretty well hidden, it is called the Shuǐ lián dòng.”
Although the others were skeptical that there was such a perfect place, the Old Macaque King trusted the stone simian. “Alright. Once the sunsets, Shihou, I want you two to lead the way.”
The two understood their new task and with a reignited spirit, they led the simian kingdom to the waterfall clearing. The two explained how there was an entrance to the waterfall and proceeded to jump in to show them proof. Once they popped their hands back out to ensure that they were safe, the simians jumped in hordes into the waterfall.
After everyone was in, Shihou went ahead and opened the door by pressing her hand at the center of the door. The engravings glowed golden before the door automatically opened. Since this was the pair’s secret hideout, they were pretty familiar with the Shuǐ lián dòng and as such, they had to introduce the place to everyone. After the introduction was done, the two simian warriors left the Shuǐ lián dòng to cover up their tracks and set up fake ones as the advisor helped everyone settle in.
When the pair reconvened at the throne room, they saw how everyone was gathered there with the aisle left open for them. Without hesitation or fear, the pair walked down the aisle to the Old Macaque King and his advisors. The generals and marshals finally stopped talking when the king noticed the pair.
“What’s wrong, Grandpa Monkey King? Why is everyone gathered here?” Shihou asked the Old Macaque King, stopping just a step before him while Liu’er respectfully stood at the beginning of the stairs.
“I was just about to announce the next Monkey King.” The Old Macaque King said as he stood up with the help of his staff.
“The next one?!” Both warriors exclaimed before they looked at each other before proceeding to calm down.
“Is there a reason to? I mean, you’re still alive, Grandpa.” Liu’er respectfully asked, trying his best to keep his true emotions in check and hidden.
“Yeah, I agree. There is no one else better than you, Grandpa Monkey King. There is no need to choose anyone else.” Shihou agreed fervorously.
Laughing at their pure love and devotion for him, he explained himself. “That could be the case now, but I am just a mere mortal. I will eventually have to die someday. We must proceed with the future in mind.”
Liu’er was instantly silenced by the great king’s wise words but Shihou was only riddled with confusion. Death was not something she understood. Killing her enemies is just simply getting rid of evil and future troubles. Since she has yet to witness someone else's death due to the protection of the king, it wasn’t an emotion she could empathize with.
Knowing time was running out, the king began his speech. “During this war against Demon King Hunshi, everyone has put in every effort to fight his armies, but there are ones who performed exceptionally well. Ones who withered our winds in times of trouble. Ones who changed our battles with their strength. Ones who were courageous enough to fight against the strongest of foes alone. And the ones who, in our desperate times of need, saved everyone.”
Pointing at the young dark-furred macaque, he issued his first proclamation, “I grant Liu’er Mihou the rank of admiral!” Once the words were said, everyone cheered and clapped for the six-eared macaque.
Although it was a nice enough experience, it made the macaque slightly embarrassed to be in the spotlight. Yes, he was getting more attention ever since he joined Shihou on the battlefield but being cheered on like this was a first. Just as he was finally having enough of those clapping and cheering, his one and only friend jumped him.
Helplessly elated and excited, Shihou hugged him in a death grip, preventing him from covering his ears from the loud voices and sounds. Not that he was complaining since that sweet peachy scent enveloped him, instantly calming him down.Narrowing in on the sweet voice next to his ears, he blocked out any unnecessary displeasure.
“Oh my god, Liu’er! You’re an admiral! The first-ever admiral!” She squealed as she jumped up and down with him in her arms.
Allowing the initial excitement to die down, the old king continued, “And with everyone’s agreement and opinion, we have all decided that instead of giving you the rank of admiral,” the king pointed to the golden simian before he declared, “We crown Shihou as the next Monkey Queen!”
“What…?” The newly appointed Monkey Queen was so stunned that she ended up dropping her best friend.
“Well congratulations, Your Majesty.” The dark-furred macaque mischievously bowed somewhat respectfully and somewhat sarcastically. It was obvious that he was smirking while hiding the whole truth.
As the Old Macaque King had said, he had discussed with everyone about this matter and this included Liu’er Mihou. He, himself, didn’t care for the position, actually, he cared more about giving his beloved that position. He could clearly see how happy and proud the golden simian would be on that throne.
When he was first asked about it, his response was easy. “I don’t like troublesome things so I’ll pass. Give it to Shihou instead, she would like it more than I do. Plus, she was the one who led to all this change, wasn’t she? She was also the one who actually found this cave and brought up this place in our times of need. If my opinion is so important, then give it to Shihou.”
Even though she knew this was his usual tricks and jokes, the golden simian couldn’t help but naively react to it. Playfully slapping her best friend’s head, she turned away with a pout, “You’re not allowed to call me that.”
“Uh oh, our new queen has a temper!” The macaque joked which invoked the other to give him the death glare, but it only had the opposite effect.
This adorable interaction lifted everyone’s mood and caused everyone to laugh including the Old Macaque King, however, once he did, ended up coughing up blood the next moment. The joyous moment quickly turned to panic as everyone rushed the king to the treatment room. After several strenuous and painful minutes passed, the doctors relayed the information to the advisors and the two simians.
“The wound inflicted by the demon king is too severe… I’m afraid he will not last more than a month at most and a week at worst.” They concluded with great difficulty causing everyone to feel despair.
At least understanding how sickness works, Shihou was rightfully worried and immediately tried to find another way to avoid this. “Is there nothing we can do to help Grandpa?”
Shaking his head, the main doctor replied, “Unfortunately no. We do not have the skill set or materials to treat the king. However, from what is passed down from my ancestors, there might be a way-”
“What way?!” Shihou shouted, grabbing his arm and stopping his words midway through her abrupt words.
“The Língzhī xiān herb, we could probably treat his wounds with that mystic herb. The problem is that it supposedly resides only in the Mìlín Jìndì, the forbidden forest. Even if the herb exists, no one will be able to retrieve it, it is simply too dangerous.” Hearing this from the doctor, many could only sigh in regret and sorrow.
“Yeah… That’s not going to stop Shihou. She’s already gone.” The admiral pointed to the empty space next to him with a deadpan.
“Why didn’t you stop her?! It is called the Forbidden Forest for a reason! That is not to mention our predicament with our current enemies!” Marshal Liu scolded the nonchalant-acting macaque.
“Yeah, that’s why I’m going now to back her up,” Liu’er said as he grabbed his spear and walked towards the exit.
“What?! Back her up?! No! Drag her back here!” General Ba yelled but it only fell on deaf ears as the other transitioned into a sprint, disappearing from the hallway.