Before Ebenezer could properly freak out of his situation, he heard voices.
“Hey, look!” someone shouted. “A new arrival!” Ebenezer whipped his head toward the sound and was shocked to see a pair of monkeys in robes running down to him. Actually, no… they weren’t monkeys. They had the heads and tails of monkeys but when they got close, Ebenezer could see they had the size and proportions of humans. Even their faces were more human than simian.
‘What are these things?!’ Ebenezer thought fearfully as he slowly stepped back from the approaching creatures. ‘Some kind of human-monkey hybrids? Am I in some secret Government testing site?!’
“Welcome home, cousin!” the first Monkey-Man said when the two reached Ebenezer. He had a European accent that Ebenezer was too frazzled to identify.
“Wha-... ‘Cousin?’” Ebenezer repeated in confusion.
“Yeah,” the other Monkey-Man sighed. This one was female, given her body’s slight curves. She, too, had an accent, but it was different from the one her companion had. “It’s too much of a hassle to figure out who’s related to who, so we just call everyone ‘cousin’.”
“Wai- What? I-I’m not your cousin!” Ebenezer tried, continuing to back away.
“Course you are!” The male exclaimed. “You wouldn’t be here if you weren’t. This is the Wukongs' ancestral home after all.”
“Th-The what?!” The name rang a bell, but again, the teen’s brain couldn’t be bothered to work properly.
“The Wukong!” the she-monkey exclaimed while gesturing to all three of them. “Y’know, us! The…” The lady trailed off because at that point she and her friend registered Ebenezer’s fear and confusion.
“Klara, I don’t think he knows,” the monkey-man stated.
“Yeah, I figured that out, Lucian,” Klara shot back. “But if he doesn’t know, then how’d he get here?” Usually, when people talked about him like he wasn’t in the room, Ebenezer kept quiet and waited to be acknowledged. But now, he felt like he had to chime in to get the information he needed.
“I… was just trying to meditate after reading this diary I found… next thing I know, I’m here.”
“That’s all you did?” Klara asked, sounding oddly impressed. “Well, damn. Most Wukong need someone showing them the ropes before coming here.”
“W-why do you keep talking like that?” Ebenezer asked nervously. “I’m not a… W-Wukong, or whatever it is your talking about!” Klara and Lucien exchanged an uncomfortable glance with each other before turning back to Ebenezer.
“That’s the thing…” Lucian began awkwardly. “You can’t be here if you're not one of us.”
“Mount Huaguo is a magical place where only the Wukong and their guests can reside in,” Klara added. “And since you’re here by yourself, that only leaves one option… You’re a Wukong, kid.” Ebenezer stared at the two Monkey-men in silence. He heard their words but he couldn’t process them. He was a Wukong? A humanoid Monkey? That made no sense!
Ebenezer’s “cousins” saw the spiral that the younger boy was falling down and quickly shook him out of his stupor.
“Hey, hey, no need to freak out,” Lucian said soothingly as he gently shook Ebenezer’s shoulder. “Being a Wukong isn’t the end of the world.” Lucian’s words were meant to be comforting, but he didn’t know Ebenezer’s home life. He could just imagine his father’s reaction to Ebenezer showing up with fur and a tail. Best case scenario, the boy would probably be locked up in his room for the rest of his life or thrown out of the house. He didn’t want to think about what the worst-case scenario might be.
“Why am I not a monkey…?” Ebenezer asked, still in a haze. His lack of simian characteristics is what made the idea of him being a Wukong so unbelievable. Ebenezer glances down at pale hairless hands. Even now, in this “Mount Huaguo”, place he was still Human.
“Oh, that’s because Father locks away all of your abilities until you’re ready for them,” Klara explained.
“Father?”
“The Patriarch,” Lucian added with a cheery smile. “The first Wukong. He watches over this place and takes care of those who live here. We’re all his descendants so most of us call him ‘Father’, but you can call him whatever you want. Boss, Uncle, Pops, Grandfather, you can even use his name if you want, he won’t mind.”
“We should probably take him to see Father,” Klara stated. “He’ll be able to explain things better than us.”
“Good point,” Lucian agreed before turning to Ebenezer with a friendly smile. “Would you like to meet the Patriarch?” Ebenezer didn’t answer right away. He was still flustered over his sudden transportation and meeting another stranger didn’t seem like the best idea. On the other hand, meeting this Patriarch would be the next best step in getting home and getting some answers to all the questions running wild in the teen’s head.
Not trusting himself to speak, Ebenezer gave a stiff nod.
“Great!” Lucian exclaimed. “Follow me!” Ebenezer followed the two Wukongs down the mountain path. He was surprised to see a large amount of vibrant foliage around the landscape. A few steps down Ebenezer found himself in a miniature jungle with luscious trees brimming with fruit. Wildflowers dotted the ground, giving the gravel a colorful appearance.
‘Guess they don’t call it Flowers and Fruit Mountain for nothing,’ the boy thought. ‘Wait a minute… where did I hear that name before?’ The Flower and Fruit passage of the Haiku was clearly talking about Mount Huaguo but Ebenezer was certain he heard the English translation before.
“Hey, Lucian,” Ebenezer began cautiously. “Who is the Patriarch exactly?” The male Wukong gave the boy a knowing smile.
“Have you ever heard of the Monkey King?”
“The Monkey… Oh.” That’s when everything clicked. Magic existed in this world along with creatures fresh out fairy tales and fantasy stories. Gods on the other hand were… contested, to say the least. While it was theoretically possible for them to exist and some Gifted have claimed to be connected to ancient dieties, nothing has ever been proven. Not only was Ebenezer being told Sun Wukong existed, but he was related to him… The boy once again found himself stunned into silence.
Ebenezer’s “cousins” giggled at his reaction before shoving him forward. Ebenezer was vaguely aware of going behind a waterfall and entering a grotto, but his attention returned when he noticed the inhabitants. More Wukong milled around the area, lounging around, eating fruit, and even sparing with each other using wooden rods. When the trio drew, their attention instantly went to them, specifically Ebenezer. The Wukong seemed energetic beforehand but now they appeared ready to throw a party to welcome their new “cousin”. Luckily for Ebenezer, they kept a respectable distance and simply waved to him.
The entire walk was surreal for the teen, he wasn’t used to being the center of positive attention. Whenever a group set their sights on him, it was always to get their homework or berate him for one reason or another. Ebenezer suddenly getting a “Welcome Home Party” was not only novel but it was also a little nerve-wracking, he wasn’t sure what to do with all the friendliness in the air. With an awkward wave to his audience, Ebenezer continued to stifly follow his guides deeper into the cave.
They made their way to a cavern that had rays of light poking out of the ceiling. One of those beams shined down on a raised dais that was turned into a lounge area with fluffy green bushes and flowers. A single Wukong was resting on the platform, simply lying on his back and enjoying the sun. Unlike Klara, and Lucian who were essentially hairy humans, the man on the platform was much more monkey-like than anyone Ebenezer had seen. The kid knew who he was the second he laid eyes on him, and the realization was both nerve-wracking and underwhelming.
There was nothing about Sun Wukong that screamed God-Like being. If anything, he was going out of his way to seem ordinary. His loose pants and robe were plain-looking and clearly articles he’d had for years. He didn’t wear any jewelry, not even his famous circlet, though if Journey to the West was accurate there was a reason for that. The only thing of value that was near the Monkey King was a golden staff that rested on his lap. That item alone wasn’t enough to make him look like a king and the way he lay down on the leaves made him look like a college kid napping on a coach.
But at the same time, there was something powerful about the man. You could just feel it when you looked at him. Ebenezer once again tensed up as he neared his apparent Ancestor as the realization of what was going to happen made his heart race.
“Hey, Father!” Klara called. “We brought the new kid!” A single eye opened on the simian’s face and he gazed down at the trio. Sun Wukong’s gaze locked onto Ebenezer and the boy felt himself sweating bullets. That one-eye gaze held a mighty depth that the kid couldn’t even begin to comprehend. His unassuming posture aside, this person was the Monkey King.
“I can see that,” Sun Wukong replied. Even his voice was far too easygoing for someone who has divine power. “Welcome to Mount Huaguo, kid. What’s your name?”
“E-Ebenezer, sir,” the boy replied meekly. A derisive snort came from the Monkey King and Ebenezer’s heart sank. He was used to having people laugh at his name, but it never made the next incident easier to swallow.
“You are in the wrong place to use formality, kid,” Sun Wukong laughed. “Call me whatever want, just not sir.” He spat the word out like it was a particularly nasty slur. Ebenezer felt a rush of relief over not being ridiculed that he spoke without thinking.
“Can I call you, Uncle Sunny?” Another laugh escaped Sun Wukongs lips. This one booming and forcing the monkey-man to slap his knee. Ebeenzer felt his face flush both at the Monkey King’s reaction and his childish request.
“That’s a new one!” Sun Wukong chuckled. “Sure, why not? Uncle Sunny, it is.” This meeting was not going at all like Ebenezer thought it would. Instead of conversing with a God-like being, it felt like he was talking to an Uncle who was just passing through, hence the name, Uncle Sunny. Ebenezer found himself relaxing despite his anxiety. He felt he could trust Sun Wukong more than he had ever trusted anyone before. It was why he felt free to ask the ridiculous questions that had been bubbling up since he got here.
“Um… Uncle Sunny,” Ebenezer began slowly. He wrung his hands nervously as he tried to find the words to express himself. The idea that he was a descendant of a mythological hero like Sun Wukong was mind-blowing, but he had to make sure it was true. “I’m… a Wukong, right?”
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Instead of answering, Uncle Sunny stood from his leaf couch and began walking down towards Ebenezer. For half a second, Ebenezer thought he was in trouble and tensed up, but Uncle Sunny’s relaxed gate told him he wasn’t angry. When the Patriarch stood before Ebenezer, he calmly held out his hand. Ebenezer took the offered hand despite his confusion.
The sensation that suddenly swam through Ebenezer’s body was hard to describe. The closest thing he could think of was that feeling of strain and relief when you stretch your limbs and end up popping a bone back in place. The next thing Ebenezer knew, he was covered in fur. Yanking his hand out of the Monkey King’s grasp, Ebenezer looked himself over and saw he was now a humanoid monkey, just like the other Wukong. He even had a tail, if the weird feeling of having an arm attached to his lower back was any indication.
“Does that answer your question?” Sun Wukong asked with a cheeky smile. Ebenezer couldn’t even nod at his ancestor, the revelation froze him in place as he stared at his hands in amazement.
“I-Is this my true form?” Ebenezer asked. His voice trembled as his mind couldn’t decide whether to panic or celebrate. It was undeniable now, Ebenezer was a Gifted. He had powers! He was special! He was also a giant monkey but that wasn’t enough to squash the pure elation that ran through his veins.
“Yes and no,” Uncle Sunny answered. “Wukong are natural shapeshifters and don’t really have a “true form”. When I unlock a Wukong’s shapeshifting ability their body resets and transforms into my likeness. You can change yourself however you want.”
“H-How do I go back to… Human?” Ebenezer muttered intelligently.
“Calm your mind and focus on the form you want to take,” Sun Wukong replied as he returned to his dais. “Then let your body do the rest.” Closing his eyes, Ebenezer took a deep breath to clear his thoughts and focused on his original body. He felt his bones shift and when he looked at himself, Ebenezer was once again human.
“Woah…” was all he could say. “It’s real…”
“That it is,” Sun Wukong confirmed.
“S-So… what does this mean?”
“Excuse me?”
“I-I’m a Wukong, your descendant. That must mean that I have some sort of destiny that needs fulfilling, right? A divine purpose? Or some ancient evil that must be stopped?!” Ebenezer was aware that he was rambling, but he couldn’t stop himself.
Now that he knew this Wukong business was real, he couldn’t contain his excitement anymore. This would be the moment his life would change forever and make all the garbage he suffered worth it. He’d have a purpose to work toward other than just enduring countless hardships thrown on him by a bunch of selfish jerks.
The awkward silence dampened the boy’s enthusiasm slightly. Sun Wukong was staring at Ebenezer with a look he couldn’t describe, but it didn’t fill the boy with confidence. He glanced at Lucina and Klara, both of which avoided his eyes. Ebenezer began to feel a familiar uncomfortable pressure as Sun Wukong continued to stare at him. He didn’t know what he said that caused this situation, but he was sure he wouldn’t like what happened next.
“Kid,” the Monkey King began slowly. “There is no Destiny.”
“W-what?” Ebenezer asked, his sliver of hope shrinking. “But… But I’m a Wukong!”
“You are,” Sun Wukong agreed. “But that doesn’t mean anything. My children like to explore the world and sometimes that involves sowing their seed. That’s why you exist, there’s no divine plan or sacred mission. You exist simply because you exist.”
It took all of Ebenezer’s self-control not to collapse onto the ground in despair. Honestly, he should be used to this feeling by now but after his cousins gave him hope the pain hit harder than normal.
“What is your life like, Ebenezer?” Uncle Sunny asked out of the blue.
“It’s awful…” the boy replied without thinking. On the rare instances, that someone asked him how he was doing, Ebenezer would usually lie and say everything was fine. Right now, though, he was too drained to pretend. He lowered his head as the feelings he’d been hiding began tumbling out of his mouth.
“I’m forced to do everyone’s work. No matter how I try to get them to stop they just keep pushing more and more work onto me and I can’t do anything about it.” More silence, Ebenezer didn’t look up in fear of what kind of faces he’d see. Whether it was pity or scorn, the boy didn’t want to see either directed at him.
At some point, Sun Wukong had gotten off his dais again and was standing in front of Ebenezer. The boy still refused to look up, just staring at the man’s hairy feet wrapped in sandals. He flinched slightly when he felt a hand press down on his head. Ebenezer couldn’t tell if this was an attempt at comfort or that he was about to pull his hair, but then he felt an itch spread across his entire body. An itch so terrible it felt like his body was being stabbed everywhere by millions of needles.
“What-!” Before Ebenezer could start scratching himself, Uncle Sunny removed his hand and the itch was gone. He snapped his head up and was about to ask what the Hell that was about but was stopped by the confusing sight in front of him. Sun Wukong stood before him, but there was another one sitting in a leafy lounge area.
“What?” Ebenezer said once again.
“I gave you the power of replication,” the Wukong on the dais announced. “With it, you can make copies of yourself. I imagine having many of you working at once will drastically reduce your tasks.”
“R-Really?” the idea that Ebenezer would finally get some help lifted his spirits slightly. “How do I do that?”
“Pluck a hair and blow on it,” the Monkey King explained. The doppelganger in front of Ebenezer suddenly evaporated and he saw a strand of hair start floating to the ground. “While the other will essentially be you, they can take whatever form you wish.”
Without thinking, Ebenezer yanked out a strand of hair and blew on it. The hair flew out of his palm, and Ebenezer moved to catch it but stopped when he saw wind swirl around the hair and congeal into a glowing mass. In seconds, another Ebenezer stood next to the original. He smiled and waved at his stunned creator.
“Hi!” the doppelganger said cheerfully.
“I imagine these extra hands will help you?” Uncle Sunny asked, to which Ebenezer nodded.
“Is there a limit to how many clones I can make?”
“No. Now that your Wukong form has been unlocked you don’t have to worry about running out of hair so there’s no limit to the amount of helpers you can summon.”
“Uh… Father,” Lucian began slowly. “I don’t mean to question your judgment, but is this really the best way to help him?” Ebenezer looked at Lucian in confusion. How wouldn’t this help him? With infinite helping hands he could take on an entire student body’s homework and still be able to have a healthy sleep schedule!
“Right now? Yes. What Ebenezer needs at the moment is the chance to rest. What he wants to do afterward will be up to him.” Ebenezer wasn’t sure what he was talking about, but he was too elated over the idea that he’d be able to handle the insane chores and schoolwork.
“Thank you so much!” Ebenezer exclaimed. Not sure what to do next, he gave a sloppy bow that made the Monkey King laugh again.
“There’s no need to thank me. We’re family, it’s only natural that I help you.” Ebenezer smiled but it was a bit strained. While it would be natural for family to help each other out, his own relations weren’t inclined to help if it didn’t suit them. That thought reminded him of his home and the obligations he was shirking.
“H-How do I go back…” Ebenezer to didn’t want to leave, but he felt like he had to. He also didn’t want to impose on the Monkey King and the other Wukong, lest they get sick of him and leave him on his own again.
“You simply need to open your eyes.”
“What?” Ebenezer asked, a horrible feeling settling in his stomach.
“Focus on your body in the mortal world and have it open your eyes.”
“Y-You mean… this whole thing was a dream?!” Horrified, Ebenezer subconsciously reached out to his body, and his shock wass enough to force it awake. Ebenezer found himself back in his family’s attic. Back in his human body with no powers to speak of. It wasn’t real, it was just a dream.
Ebenezer crumbled in on himself as tears welled up in his eyes. Knowing all of that was fake was bad enough, but that dream gave him something he hadn’t had in a long time. Hope, safety, contentment, the feeling that he could handle the injustice he has to put up with and be okay. But it was all for nothing, that place wasn’t real, the powers weren’t real and he was once again trapped in his miserable-.
“Ow!” Ebenezer screamed as there was a sudden stinging pain in his ear. Whipping his head around to see what could have hurt him, Ebenezer was shocked to see himself standing next to him with a wide grin on his face.
“Hi there!” the doppelganger exclaimed.
“Y-You…!” Ebenezer immediately knew who the double was in front of him. It was the clone he made while at Mount Huaguo. That meant… it was real! Just to make sure, Ebenezer closed his eyes and forced his body to transform. The odd stretching sensation returned and Ebenezer was in his Wukong form. It was real! All of it was real! Ebenezer didn’t realize he started laughing hysterically until a loud banging came from the floor.
“Ebenezer!” Menelaus called out in anger. “What’s so funny up there?!” Ebenezer slapped his hands over his mouth in terror. If his father came up here and found him like this, his life would be over. He was too scared to think of a way out of this, but luckily his doppelganger was ready to act. He started coughing loudly, though he made every croak sound like he was saying the word “hack” in a loud and raspy voice. Ebenezer didn’t know why but quickly realised that someone could mishear that as laughter.
“I’m coughing!” The clone exclaimed between gasps. “It’s really dusty up here!” There was a moment of silence, and Ebenezer feared his father would want to check up on him anyway, but the moment passed and Menelaus barked: “Well, hurry up and finish and you won’t have to deal with it!” The sound of stomping feet told the boy that his father had left.
“...That was quick thinking,” Ebenezer breathed out after a moment. The doppelganger only shrugged before sitting down and facing his creator.
“So, what now?” he asked.
“Now?” Ebenezer repeated dumbly.
“Yeah, you said you had a lot of work to do, so how do you want to do it?”
“Oh!” Ebenezer exclaimed, his good mood returning in full force. “Right! So I’ll keep cleaning while you get started on the homework!” The clone gave Ebenezer the look he gave to people when he tried to think of a polite way to tell them they were doing something stupid.
“You can do it that way if you really want to,” the clone began diplomatically. “But wouldn’t it be better to just make another clone and have us take care of everything?”
“...I can do that? But… don’t you guys need breaks or something?”
“Oh, no!” the clone laughed. “I’m not real!”
“What?” Ebenezer asked, confused. If he had to keep questioning his reality the boy was certain that he’d pop a blood vessel in his head. “But… you are real… I’m a giant monkey, so all that stuff about being a Wukong is-!”
“Not like that!” the clone quickly interrupted. “I mean I’m not a real person! I’m a magic construct!”
“Construct? You mean you were… built like a model plane… from magic?”
“Yeah, think of me like a robot with an AI. I only look and sound human because my default setting is copying you.” Ebenzer understood what the clone was saying but he was still unsure how copying him led to it being so outgoing and cheerful. The original Ebenezer had never been so bombastic before… Had he? The teen could remember being more carefree as a child, but as the years went on and things got harder, he found himself becoming more reserved over time.
Shaking that depressing thought from his head, Ebenezer plucked another hair from his head and blew on it. Soon, a second doppelganger was standing next to the first, eagerly awaiting his orders.
“Okay!” Ebenezer began, feeling excited once more. He pointed to the first clone. “You work on the chores. Make sure to keep your head down and stay quiet. If anyone tries to talk to you say as little as possible.” The Copy #1 gave a thumbs up and Ebenezer turned to the other one. “You stay hidden and start working on the homework. You know everything that needs to be done right?” The second clone nodded his head. “Good, take care of the assignments, and don’t forget about the Projects for Dream and Christian.”
“Got it!” the second clone replied with a salute. The two clones immediately got to work. The first doppelganger opened and organized the boxes with much more energy than Ebenezer had. The second one grabbed the folder and took it to a corner of the attic where he could work on the contents in private.
“Do you need me to get you supplies?” Ebenezer asked the second clone.
“Nah,” The clone replied with an easy grin. “I can sneak down and grab anything I need easily enough.”
“Okay, good. Just make sure there’s only one of you out at any given time. No matter what, we can't let anyone know I’m Gifted, especially not Dad…” The clones nodded, their smiles dimming as they were reminded of the less-than-stellar conditions of Ebenezer’s home life. They were quick to get back to work leaving the original to just stand and watch. For a moment, Ebenezer wasn’t sure what to do with himself. He hadn’t had free time for himself in so long, he didn’t know what to do.
There was one thing Ebenezer wanted, needed actually, so he might as well do that. Focusing on his body, Ebenezer made it shift from a humanoid monkey into an actual bug. In his new tiny form, he crawled through the trap door and down the hall of his house. Slipping into his bedroom, he returned to his human form and locked his door. Once he made sure nobody would be able to walk in on him, Ebenezer undressed, put on some pajamas, and slipped into bed.
He didn’t realize how tired he was until the prospect of taking a nap became real. The second he lay down, Ebenezer fell asleep.