Chapter Text
You weave through the hustle and bustle of the marketplace, keeping a distance from people as much as you can. For the record, you love the atmosphere! You just personally preferred it if people didn't really notice your presence, even if you already put on a glamour to disguise yourself. You really didn't want to bring attention to yourself, even amongst other demons.
Mind you, demons are very common to come around, especially in a big city like Megapolis. Though, you weren't the typical horned demon with unnatural skin colour. No, you were a type of demon who usually doesn't have others to call their own. None other like them. At least, way too few of them exist in the modern world to run into each other out in the open. You were an animal demon. More specifically, a monkey.
Despite monkeys being a big thing around here, monkey demons? Not so much. In all the centuries you've lived here, you haven't run into a single monkey demon like you. At this point, you wouldn't be surprised if you had been cursed into being alone forever when you were a baby. That being said, you can't recall much memories of when you were young. Heck, you can't even remember where you came from, or if you had family, for that matter. Maybe you were cursed, in a way. But it didn't make you lose hope that there are other monkeys like you somewhere out there.
Perhaps that was the reason you had brought yourself to a scene within range of being crushed by a huge smoke monster, despite it all. You had always steered clear of these situations, considering there are already people who are meant to deal with such grave dangers. People you couldn't care less about, as long as they got the job done, and made sure your home is not destroyed, because you would rather laze around far, far away, rather than wasting your energy on some pathetic demon who has beef with some kid.
But today, something inside pulled you, beckoning you to the ‘danger’. Still, you weren't going to get yourself involved, so you opted to only observe as closely as you could from the roof of a nearby building, spectating as the scene unfolds. You didn't know what you had expected, honestly, until the ‘hero’ of the day finally arrived at the scene. That's when you started to get invested.
No, you don't mean the boy, it's never a surprise to see him dealing with these kinds of demon attacks, always saving the day as your friendly neighborhood hero. It was the other person being the saviour of the day, which much to your surprise, seemed to be a monkey demon. You didn't pay much attention to anything else after that.
You couldn't bring yourself to pull your eyes away, barely noticing the way the monster had already vanished. As the kid was talking to the monkey, you subconsciously took a step forward to take a closer look.
For a split second, you could swear that the monkey had looked directly at you, but when you looked again he was already gone. Leaving only the kid on the roof of a random building. You sigh, turning around as your hope for making a new acquaintance was let down. Maybe you'll try talking to the kid. Who knows? Maybe you'll get something out of him–
“Look who finally decided to show up!”
“Gah–!” You're startled to face the monkey appearing in front of you out of nowhere, almost stumbling backwards. “You– Uh, pardon?”
“Right, of course you don't–” The monkey muttered with an almost disappointed tone, before putting back on his sharp smile. “Never mind, let's start over, shall we? I'm Macaque, Six-Eared Macaque.”
He held out his hand for you to shake, which you did. However, you were interrupted right as you were about to exchange your name in turn.
“Ah, you need no introduction. I am already aware of your name,” He leans down and lifts the hand that was still in his soft grip, pressing his lips against your knuckles, “it's been a while, starlight.”
You weren't sure if it was his actions or the way he whispers the nickname, but you could definitely feel your cheeks warm up.
“Have we… met before…?” The question escaped your lips before you even realised what you asked. You were sure you had never met another demon monkey before, but something about him… made you feel as if you knew him in a different lifetime.
Macaque chuckled softly, the sound tinged with a hint of nostalgia. "In a sense, yes. But it's been centuries since our paths last crossed."
Centuries? The word echoed in your mind, stirring up a whirlwind of confusion. How could that be possible? You were certain, in your time of existence, you had always been alone, yet this monkey demon claimed a connection from a time unfathomably distant.
Before you could articulate your bewildered thoughts, Macaque spoke again, his tone turning solemn yet warm. “I understand, it's confusing. You don't remember anything, and yet, here I am saying that I'm an old friend. It hurts, but I can't put the blame on you. You have no control over it."
His words resonated within you, striking a chord of recognition buried deep within your being. It was as though a forgotten melody resurfaced, faintly familiar yet shrouded in mystery.
"What... What do you mean?" you stammered, unable to shake off the overwhelming sensation that you were entwined in a tale that transcended mere chance encounters.
He opened his mouth to answer, before shaking his head and deciding otherwise. “It doesn't matter, it'll come to you in time,” He attempts to assure you with a smile, though you can see it doesn't reach his eyes. Then his smile vanished the next moment, brows furrowed as he says through gritted teeth, “Just– please don't get close to him– ‘the Great Sage’ again. Not when he's the one who roped us– roped you into this mess in the first place. He doesn't deserve it.”
“What–? The Great Sage– the Monkey King? What does he have to do with me? What else am I not knowing–”
“Those are questions for another time,” He starts to turn away, avoiding your gaze, disappearing into the shadows, “Just– call out if you need me. I'm always listening.”
“What, wait–!” You reach out, your fingers lightly grazing his tattered cape, but not quick enough to grab him and stop him from leaving.
He was already gone without a trace, leaving you to ponder if you should go look for him or if you've gone mad from loneliness that made your brain imagine all of that.