Chapter Text
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Liu'er helped his mate out of his portal, right in front of a pair of guards.
“The celestial realm never changes, does it?” Wukong prompted.
“You'd figure after all these years they'd have better security.” He agreed.
“You know the only reason you can do that is because we let you, right?” One of the guards said, pointing his spear at them in some sort of pitiful threat attempt
The other, much more experienced guard just lowered the first’s staff.
“Leave it.” He snapped.
“Enjoy your visit, please don't steal anything.” The older guard said tiredly.
“No promises.” Wukong smirked.
Liu'er rolled his eyes at his mate’s antics.
“No promises!” Chao-Xing echoed from her spot, clinging to his back.
“Papa is being silly, isn't he?” He asked his daughter.
“Yes! Silly Papa!” She chirped.
“Can you get going, we have a job to do.” The younger guard said, earning himself a slap to the back of the head from his superior.
“Time to visit your uncles Nezha and Bing!” Wukong whooped.
He grabbed Chao-Xing off his back and gently tossed her up.
“And Nuwa.” Liu'er reminded his mate.
Wukong muttered something under his breath, he rolled his eyes at the childishness. He pulled his mate closer to him, cupping his face gently.
“I know you don't like her, and she has a lot she still needs to answer for, but she can't do any of that if you won't let her. Just give her a chance, you know she is trying to be better.” he insisted.
Wukong avoided his gaze with a half hearted grumble. He tilted his mate's head to look at him.
“Please peaches? For me?” He requested.
“Ugh, fine! But only because you asked so nicely.” Wukong said.
“Thank you, peach.” he gave his husband a quick kiss, then they were on their way.
They made their way through the celestial realm to Nezha's home, near the pagoda he guarded. They had told Nezha they were coming so he wouldn't be caught completely off guard by a surprise visit while he was on the clock. The child protector wasn't always guarding that old map, several alert systems were in place in order for him to get to it before anyone could reach the map, and the seal on it was nearly unbreakable.
“Nezha! It's your favorite brother!” Wukong said as he knocked on Nezha's door loudly.
“Really, his favorite brother?” Liu'er snickered.
“Jinzha and Muzha certainly aren't.” his mate shrugged.
“Ah, you got me there.” He rolled his eyes.
“What are you saying about my brothers?” The door opened, Nezha glared down at them, well, at Wukong anyway, he and Nezha were about the same height.
The god was dressed in much less formal clothes, by celestial standards, he didn't look quite as ready to go to war at a second's notice. He had a mug of dark coffee in his hand, honestly Liu'er could relate.
“Just that I'm your favorite!” Wukong said happily.
“I don't have a favorite brother.” Nezha said, letting them in.
“You have a least favorite!” Ao Bing called from further inside.
“Oh? Who is it?” Liu'er asked, smirking at the lotus warrior.
“Yi is his least favorite.” Bing answered helpfully.
The silver and blue dragon was enjoying his own mug of coffee, significantly sweeter than Nezha's, on a couch in the pair’s living room. Nezha shot his friend a glare.
“It's true.” Bing shrugged.
“Is that the little one?” The dragon prince asked excitedly.
“Hi!” Chao-Xing chirped in greeting.
“Aww, she reminds me of Duofan when she was a baby.” Bing cooed.
“Doesn't she, Nezha?” He asked.
“She's less flowery.” Nezha hummed, a soft smile on his face.
“Aww, your uncles like you.” Wukong nuzzled the top of her head.
She giggled, her tails thumping against his legs happily.
“Oh whoa, I didn't know monkeys could have two tails!” Bing exclaimed.
Chao-Xing proudly showed both her tails off to the dragon.
“They normally don't.” Nezha commented.
They settled in the pair’s home for a calm breakfast, Chao-Xing made it known repeatedly that she wanted to be let down.
“Do you mind if we let her crawl around for a bit? She's still getting used to walking in New places.” Liu'er asked.
“We baby proofed the place again just for her.” Nezha said.
“You heard your uncle, go ahead.” Wukong said once he set their daughter down.
The little monkey crawled around, investigating the various new surfaces she was presented with.
He turned his back on the cub, drawn into the conversation between his mate and brother in law. He turned away just long enough for Chao-Xing to discreetly make a clone and vanish into her own shadow.
XXX
Chao-Xing came out of her shadow at another new place.
This isn't the flower place. She pouted, she wanted to see the flowers she could smell.
This place smelled funny, like an animal, but she didn't know what animal.
Curiously, she climbed up the steps and slipped under the door's shadow to the other side. It was a strange house, it didn't smell like someone very happy lived here, it smelled really sad. One of her ears flicked at the thumping sound coming closer, she turned in the direction of the sound.
A big, fluffy black cloud stared down at her. The cloud had big, dark eyes with red around them, just like Papa!
The cloud came closer to her, Chao-Xing reached her hand out to pet the cloud, wondering if it was soft and squishy like Papa’s cloud. The cloud stared at her outstretched hands, a big, wet nose sniffed her, the cloud’s tail wagged happily.
She patted the cloud’s nose, the cloud had a soft face, it wasn't squishy like Papa’s cloud, but very warm and soft. The cloud licked her cheek with a big wet slobbery tongue, she giggled and wiped the drool off her face.
“I’m looking for the flowers! Do you wanna come!” She told the cloud.
Cloud blinked at her, she crawled back to the door. The cloud could come if it wanted or not.
“Bye-bye!” She waved, slipping back into the door's shadow and out the other side.
The cloud barked in alarm, she didn't know clouds could make that sound. The cloud came out from a smaller door inside the bigger door.
“Are you coming?!” She asked.
The cloud stared at her in confusion. She patted the cloud's nose when it got close enough.
“Come on, let's find the flowers!” She said.
The cloud huffed and nodded. She grinned, now she had a cloud friend too!
“To the flowers!” She chirped, crawling in the direction she had been going before.
Cloud walked with her until they found the place where the pretty flowers smell came from.
A bunch of pretty flower trees were growing in the middle of a big yard.
“Flowers! We found the flowers!” She giggled to her new friend.
She crawled into the garden, there were so many pretty flowers, she wanted to pick some, they smelled so nice, Papa and Baba would like them too! But Papa said she had to ask before she took anything that wasn't hers.
It was just good manners.
Baba always laughed about it.
She looked around for someone she could ask, she could hear people in the garden, they didn't sound close. She shrugged, she could just crawl around until she found someone.
Cloud followed her the entire time she looked around the flower garden.
She eventually found a lady sitting on a bench deep in the garden, a very pretty lady. And she was a kitty! She had round kitty ears and a striped tail. The kitty lady had something in her hands that she was playing with, she wasn't close enough to see.
Chao-Xing crawled over to her and tugged on her skirt to get her attention. The kitty lady stopped what she was doing and looked around.
“Excuse me.” Chao-Xing squeaked.
The kitty lady looked down at her and smiled softly. She reached up to climb into the bench so she could see better,
“Why hello there, what are you doing here little one?” The kitty lady asked, helping her onto the bench.
“I’m explorin’ with Cloud!” She answered, happily pointing to Cloud.
Cloud trotted over to the kitty lady and rested its head on the bench.
“Is ‘Cloud’ your friend?” The kitty lady questioned.
“Yes! She's my big fluffy friend!” She nodded.
“Ah, she is very fluffy, just like you.” The kitty lady laughed.
“You're fluffy too!” She said.
The kitty lady looked confused, she pointed to the lady's tail.
“Oh, I see.” The kitty lady nodded.
“Can I have some flowers?” She asked.
“The peach flowers?”
“Yes! They're very pretty!” She nodded eagerly.
“We don't pick these flowers, they are very special.” The kitty lady told her.
“Oh. Okay!” She chirped.
The kitty lady looked surprised, then she laughed.
“I can take you to a garden where you can get flowers, if you want.” She offered.
“Yes please!” She jumped to her feet.
She stumbled a bit, she managed to find her balance without falling over, she was getting better at walking. The kitty lady offered her hand with a smile, Chao-Xing smiled back and took her hand.
She liked this kitty lady.
XXX
“Stay safe little one.” The kitty lady called after her.
Chao-Xing waved her goodbye as Cloud barked at her. She put one hand on her friend to keep herself steady as she walked, she still wasn't very good at it. Cloud was carrying some of the flowers from the kitty lady too, she smelled very nice.
She and Cloud walked around for a bit more before they came across a tall, tower-like building. She stopped and stared at it, it cast a long, dark shadow over her.
There was something familiar in there.
She walked towards it. Cloud whined, pacing back and forth where she had stopped, she turned and looked back at her friend. Cloud quickly trotted over to her, sticking much closer to her than she had before.
Chao-Xing entered the strange, tower-like building.
Buzzing filled her ears as she looked around for anyone in the big empty space. There was nothing on the first floor but a big seat in the middle of the furthest wall, there was a little building sitting on the seat.
She stepped towards it, the buzzing got louder, it almost sounded like a bunch of muffled voices. She reached towards the little tower, she could barely hear anything over the buzzing in her ears.
“What are you doing in here?”
I've heard that voice before.
A hand snatched the little tower up, she followed it to see an old man dressed in white and teal towering over her. He glared down at her, her stomach squirmed.
I know you.
She didn't know how, but she knew him. The man rolled his eyes with an angry sigh.
“Of course it's you, Ruò shí hóu. Where are your parents?” He snarled.
She frowned at him, he didn't feel good or safe. He felt… he felt not that. She crossed her arms and turned her nose up like Xuěhuā did. The man groaned again, he came towards her.
“I'd like to get you out of my-”
Pain shot through her right tail.
She yelped and bit the hand coming towards her. It came from the same direction the pain was coming from.
The man tried to shake her off, she bit harder, he lifted her off the ground, she refused to let go, she'd fall if she did now. Cloud barked, jumping and yipping at the mean man.
He grumbled and shouted something she didn't understand at her, he yanked her hair, trying to pull her off, she growled and bit down even harder.
She heard something running towards the entrance, the walking lotus from before with the blue noodle came running in.
“Father, have you-” he broke off, taking in the scene in front of him.
“It appears you have.” He said.
“Nezha, help me get this child off. Now .” The meanie snarled.
The walking lotus came over, he reached for her, she liked the walking lotus a lot more than the meanie, she let him pull her off. He produced a pink cloth and wiped her face, she wrapped one tail around his arm and one around his waist as he cleaned her face, Cloud paced between them and the mean man, she really liked Cloud.
“Why were you biting him?” The walking lotus asked her.
“I believe I accidentally stepped on the child’s tail. I didn't realize it had a second one.” the meanie said before she had a chance to explain.
“Oh. That'll do it.” The walking lotus said.
Chao-Xing growled at the meanie, she did not like him, he was bad, very bad. He narrowed his eyes and stepped away from her.
“Hey, it's okay, he didn't mean to, you're okay now.” The walking lotus told her.
She glanced between him and the meanie, she didn't want to be in the same space as the meanie anymore, she hissed at him a final time and turned her nose up.
“I suppose it doesn't like me very much now.” The meanie chuckled.
“Very well, get the child out of here.” He said dismissively.
The lotus mumbled something she didn't understand as he stomped out of the building. Cloud followed after them, keeping one eye on the meanie the whole time.
“Oh, and Nezha? Do tell the simians to keep a better eye on their spawn.”
Chao-Xing stuck her tongue out at the meanie over the lotus’s shoulder.
“Goodbye, Father .” the lotus said.
He walked out without another word.
He pulled her into his arms, lightly tapping her nose with a fond sigh.
“Your dads are practically tearing apart the realm as we speak, please, don't wander off again.” He said.
“Okay!” She chirped.
He raised an eyebrow.
“Are you going to stay put?”
“Probably not!”
“At least you're more honest than your parents.” He sighed.
“Alright, let's find your dads.” He said, adjusting her to rest against his side.
He really did smell like a lotus, he was very strange, she'd never seen a walking plant before… her stomach rumbled.
“Don't. I'm not food.” The walking lotus said.
She stared him in the eye.
“Have a plum.” He sighed, handing the fruit to her.
She happily started nibbling at it.
XXX
One second!
He didn't have his eyes on his cub for one second and she had teleported out of Nezha's home to Buddha knows where in the celestial realm.
This really must be a punishment from the universe for how I was as a cub. Wukong sighed.
The clone that Chao-Xing used to fool them with had dispersed itself as soon as it was caught, leaving them without a lead. At least it didn't sound like she was causing much trouble for anyone.
“Wukong! Mihou! I found her!” His head snapped up at the sound of Nezha's voice.
His brother had a brown fluff ball in his arms and was being followed by a large, black dog. Erlang’s dog Xiàotiān Quǎn.
“Huh, looks like she made a friend.” Liu'er chuckled.
“Yeah, how'd she manage to do that?” He wondered aloud.
“She's sweet, cute and Quǎn likes babies.” Liu'er answered.
The dog in question whined in offense at his comment, turning her dark snout up at them.
“Oh hush, you know it's true.” His mate chided the celestial hound.
“Your daughter thinks I'm food.” Nezha said abruptly, holding Chao-Xing out to him.
“Well, you are part lotus.” Bing said as Wukong took his daughter back.
Nezha shot his friend a glare. Chao-Xing chirped at him for food, going for their more animalistic sounds rather than using words, it was just easier sometimes. He and Liu'er often made such sounds at each other for little reason.
“Hang on lychee muncher, we'll get some food soon.” He told her.
She whined and tried to chew on her tail, she suddenly shrieked and jerked away from the tail, howling in pain.
“Oh… my father stepped on her tail by accident, I found her in his home… biting him.” Nezha explained awkwardly.
Chao-Xing growled, her fur bristled defensively.
“By accident ?” his moon prompted skeptically.
Li Jing wasn't shy about his dislike for either of them, he doubted that the pagoda king accidentally stepped on his daughter’s tail. He knew how sensitive their tails were, he'd abused that knowledge in the past.
“There isn't any evidence to suggest otherwise.” Nezha said.
“How badly did she bite him?” He asked.
“Wukong!” Nezha snapped.
“You can't say he doesn't deserve it.” Bing commented.
“Who deserves what?”
Wukong almost jumped out of his skin at the voice behind him, his mate didn't even bother to hide his snicker. His mother smirked at him.
“Mom! I thought we were supposed to come to you.” He said.
“Yes, you were, you're late.” Yuze scolded.
“Well, someone tricked us with a clone and spent the morning wandering around heaven.” Liu'er explained, shooting a pointed look at the cub in his arms.
Chao-Xing cheekily stuck her tongue out at him.
“And here I thought you were just trying to avoid her. Again .” Yuze said pointedly.
Wukong coughed awkwardly. So what if he dragged his feet on this visit and waited an extra six months instead of coming after Chao-Xing turned two?
“Nǎi nai! Nǎi nai!” Chao-Xing squeaked.
She squirmed out of his arms, he caught her with his tail. Yuze plucked the cub out of his grasp, Chao-Xing eagerly hugged the demon monkey.
“You smell funny nǎi nai.” She giggled.
“I'm made of clay.”
“Like Papa?”
“It's a close enough comparison, sure.” Yuze shrugged.
“Now, do you want to meet your other grandma?” She prompted.
Fuck, no avoiding her now. Wukong growled internally.
“I have two?!” Chao-Xing asked excitedly.
“You have three actually, and they're both here to meet you.” Yuze said, flicking Chao-Xing’s head lightly with her tail.
“Awesome!” the little cub exclaimed.
“Oh! Can I give them flowers? I got pretty flowers!” She gasped, pulling a bouquet of flowers that looked to be right out of Xiwangmu’s personal garden out of her shadow.
“Where did you get them, Lychee?” Liu'er asked.
“The kitty lady let me take some!” Chao-Xing exclaimed.
Huh, they were straight from the Queen Mother's garden.
“They are very lovely, of course you can give them to your grandmothers.” Yuze told her.
Chao-Xing chirped cheerfully, her twin tails swishing in excitement.
“At least someone is excited.” He muttered.
Yuze gave him a disappointed look, he flinched at the harshness in her gaze. Liu'er elbowed him for being rude, he brushed it off, yeah yeah, he swore he'd be good. Yuze then turned to Nezha.
“Nezha, Erlang is looking for you, he's trying to find Quǎn.” she told the god.
“I'll bring her over to him now, thanks Mo- Ma’am ! Ma’am! Thank you Yuze!” Nezha blurted, covering his reddened cheeks.
“You're welcome.” she smiled.
Quǎn whined at having to leave, but dutiful followed Nezha and Bing when they left.
Yuze spun around and grabbed him by the ear, Chao-Xing giggled.
“Come along, this has been put off for long enough.” His mom pulled him along.
He dragged his feet behind her, he was never in the mood to deal with Nuwa, and the goddess knew it.
“Clearly you got your stubborn avoidance of slightly uncomfortable situations from her.” Yuze muttered, shooting him a pointed stare.
He glowered at his mom, but stopped dragging his feet.
“Thank you Shí Hóu.” she said, releasing his ear.
He glanced at Liu'er for help or moral support, the jerk just shrugged and tugged him along with his tail.
“You swore you would try.” He reminded him.
“I know, I know.” He grumbled.
“Don't pout Shí Hóu.” Yuze called from up ahead.
“Your face’ll get stuck Papa!” Chao-Xing chimed in.
“Yes, it will.” Yuze agreed.
He stopped pouting, externally at least, and followed his mom.
All too soon, they were at the gates of Nuwa’s section of the celestial realm, he could hear gently running water from beyond the walls. The smell of salty ocean seas and lotus flowers in bloom lingered around the edge.
Guanyin was already here. They really were late.
Yuze rested her hand on the gate, a light golden seal flashed into view for a moment then faded as the door opened.
A winding dirt path lead through the groves of trees that Nuwa kept. He caught a glimpse of movement in the recreated forest, one of Nuwa's creations watched them with curious eyes. His stomach flipped at the sight of the creature, he stamped down the familiar twinge of jealousy.
The trees thinned out to a large flat plain with a calm river running through it. Next to the river sat Guanyin and Nuwa. The moment he saw the goddess, any idea of being nice about this left his mind. Nuwa didn't even try, why should he now?
“I found them.” Yuze announced.
Unfortunately, Guanyin seemed to be in on Yuze’s plan of making him and Nuwa interact, she gently pushed the goddess forward ahead of her.
“S-sun Wukong…” Nuwa greeted him awkwardly.
“Nuwa.” He gave the goddess a curt nod.
They stared at each other for a few tense moments of silence, Nuwa looked away first, a hint of that familiar, hated regret on her face.
“For the love of-! You're both adults, act like it!” Yuze snapped at the both of them.
“It's good to see you again.” Nuwa tried.
“I can't say the same.” He muttered.
“Sun Wukong!” Guanyin scolded.
He rolled his eyes.
“I guess it's nice to see you too.” He muttered.
“Why do I even bother?” He heard his mom grumble under her breath.
He ignored the look Yuze and Liu'er gave him as he went over to them.
“Be civil, Shí Hóu.” She ordered.
“Sure, I'm not talking to her .” He shrugged, leaning against one of the large stones scattered around.
“Peaches, remember what we talked about?” Liu'er prompted.
“What? I tried.” he smirked at his mate.
“Not very hard.” Liu'er growled softly.
“Neither did she.” He shrugged.
“You're impossible.” Liu'er said.
The shadow monkey left him to go introduce his daughter alongside Yuze. His daughter gave the flowers she got to each of her grandparents happily.
Wukong sat back and watched how the goddess gently and nervously held his cub when she was given the opportunity. Yuze adjusted her hold, laughing about some joke between the two of them.
Nuwa looked at his cub with genuine awe and affection. That jealousy flared up again, he bitterly smothered it. He wasn't going to be jealous that she decided she would actually try now, he wasn't going to be jealous of his own daughter having a better relationship with his creator than he did.
He wouldn't do that.
XXX
Chao-Xing yawned, she was getting really sleepy.
It was a very big day.
She had a lot of fun, lots of new people and animals and things and food. Her grandmas made really good food and had really tasty fruits.
But she was sleepy now.
She wanted her blankie, it was soft and red like Baba's scarf, and it was always warm. She was cold, she didn't like it. She yawned again, she could lay down for a little nap.
Papa picked her up before she could really sleep, she hissed at him for disrupting her nap time. He cuddled her in his arms, she snuggled closer to steal Papa's warmth, Papa was always very warm.
Nǎi nai talked with Papa about something, she gave him a little piece of paper and looked a little sad as she spoke. She didn’t pay much attention to what they were saying, but one word caught her attention.
Chūn.
She'd heard that name before. The elders talked about a monkey named Chūn who didn't live there anymore. Nǎi nai was old, she probably used to know her.
Papa took nǎi nai’s letter, telling her he'd get it delivered.
Papa talked to other nǎi nai for a bit, Baba was busy talking to first nǎi nai, then third nǎi nai came up.
“I have something for her, if that's okay.” Third nǎi nai said.
Papa glared at her, he didn't seem to like third nǎi nai very much.
“Fine. Make it quick.” He snapped.
Third nǎi nai took her and set her on the ground, she sat on the short rock behind her, her legs were really tired from all the walking she did.
“This is for you.”
Third nǎi nai held a shiny stone out to her. It had six pointy bits, it was a really pretty purple in the center and yellow at the edge of the pointy bits. She took the stone from her nǎi nai, it was heavy, and very pretty.
“It's a very special stone I made just for you, please be careful with it.” Third nǎi nai told her.
“Okay! I'll keep it in my shadow! It's very safe!” She nodded.
“That will do just fine.” Third nǎi nai said.
Third nǎi nai handed her back to Papa once she dropped the stone into her shadow. Papa gave third nǎi nai a weird look as she got herself cozy again. She yawned, she wanted her blankie. She tugged Papa's sleeve.
“I want my blankie.” She said.
He smiled softly at her. She heard third nǎi nai leave them, going back further into her home, she said she would show her the things she made another time.
“I know starlight, we'll be home soon, then you can sleep all you want.” He told her, kissing her forehead gently.
She giggled, Papa’s kisses always tickled.
“Can I have a bath? Please?” She asked.
“I'll talk to your Baba about it.” Papa sighed.
She gave a happy chirp and settled into Papa’s arms. Baba finished talking with nǎi nai and made his way over to them.
“Someone looks sleepy~” he cooed.
She yawned in response, she was very sleepy.
“Let's get home.” Baba said.
He opened a shadow, and they stepped through it into their home. Baba has the coolest powers.