//------------------------------// // Chapter 4-Exposition // Story: A Day in the Limelight // by Trish Hankins //------------------------------// With a shrill laugh, the Monkey King jumped off of his pole and faced his army. "My soldiers! Today is the day we have waited for! The day our nation has been building up to over four centuries now! The day I, your King, Sun Wukong, finally triumphs over the despot of this land, Celestia!" He gestured violently as he talked, and when he paused to take a breath his soldiers cheered with a ferocity that seemed almost unnatural. "Several of you most likely do not know the cause of the enmity between the pony princess and I. The answer goes back almost a millennia, to the beginnings of both me and our country. Back then we were a small tribe, and I was no different from any of you. I was unlike my contemporaries, however. They were satisfied with the jungle they had been born in, and I was not. I traveled far and wide for many years, learning and perfecting martial arts as I went. My journey ended after ten years at the summit of a mountain, where I sat and meditated on what I had seen." His audience stood enraptured in the story, for many it was the first time they had heard it from Wukong himself. "I sat on that mountaintop, contemplating the universe, for months. I did not eat, and I did not sleep. I had learned how to manipulate my heart so it would barely beat, and I could sit and remunerate on my topic. After three months of metitation, I finally had the answer. I had reached enlightenment! And when I returned to the small jungle from which I had been born, I showed them my power! For no power in this world matches that gained by one who has reached enlightenment!" Once again the crowd cheered. "Once they saw my greatness, the monkeys elected me their ruler! Those were tough years, but over the next six centuries we expanded, and became a power to be reckoned with! "And so, in the year 1624, when a summit was called to arrange a peace between the insidious gryphons and the despicable diamond dogs, for once our country was invited!" The smile on Wukong's face was radiant. "Words cannot express how happy I was that day, and how proud at how far I had taken our people! But when I arrived at the council I had none of the respect offered to the other leaders, because I was elected to my position and not born into it! Celestia called our glorious republic an 'experiment,' and her sister made allusions to it not lasting! But we have shown them! Now, I can't take all the credit for this victory. Invading the country, let alone capturing this town, would not have been possible if it wasn't for a very special pony! Please, show your thanks my people to the Great and Powerful Trixie!" The applause and cheering was again deafening, but at first Trixie showed no reaction. After Wukong didn't speak for almost half a minute, she jumped a little as she realized it was her turn to speak. She stepped up to where Wukong was and said, "Yes, well, um—" before she interrupted herself with a yawn. "It, it was nothing, as long as you give Trixie what she was promised." The Monkey King chuckled and said, "Of course Trixie! But you should take a nap, you seem very tired." Trixie looked like she was going to argue, but before she could say anything she yawned, much longer than the last one. "Trixie supposes, if you'll kindly excuse her." At that she turned and walked into Town Hall. Sun Wukong cleared his throat, and said, "Well then, now—" "Hold it right there!" Every head in the square turned to just outside an alleyway, where Carrot Top stood. "I'm not going to allow you to get away with...whatever it is you're trying to do! I challenge you to a fight!" A cackle escaped Sun Wukong's lips as they curled into a tight smile. "Ah, somepony actually escaped the foal's spell, eh? Well, it's been a while since I last dirtied my own hands with this kind of thing, but it'll make for a good demonstration! My subjects, I order you not to look away from this duel! See what happens to those who defy me, and never forget it!" With that he walked over and grabbed his pole. While it was being held in his right hand, he raised his left with the palm half open. "Now, just to make this a tiny bit more fair, how about you go first? Come on, show me what a little pony can do." Carrot Top's face turned red, and she charged. When she got about four hooves or so away from him, Carrot Top leaped at him. Vinyl was panting hard. She looked up to see Derpy returning to her previous position over the cage. As the unicorn gritted her teeth and lifted the next pony up she said, "Well, what does this put us at, three hundred now?" "I haven't really been counting, but that seems about right." Derpy said, as she waited for the pony to reach her. "I really hope Octy and Lyra get back soon, I don't know how long Carrot Top can distract them by herself." Vinyl said. She let out a sigh as Derpy grabbed the pony from her grip. Before Derpy flew off, she smiled as said, "You've obviously never seen Carrot fight first hoof. Don't worry, they're going to be occupied for a while. Carrot Top dodged a lazy punch from Wukong, and immediately used the opportunity to swing a hoof at his face. Before it could get far, the Monkey King twisted his wrist, bringing his staff up to block the blow. Carrot took this chance to push her back hooves off his chest and jump backwards. She had to blink a little as sweat dripped into her eye. As she gulped in air, she looked at her opponent. He was standing there, grinning at her. There wasn't a drop of perspiration on the guy. "Okay, so how is it we can fight for minutes and you're not even tired?" she asked. Another shrill cackle escaped him, and he said, "This? Listen mare, I'll give you due respect. You're a skilled fighter. But I'm not only a master of martial arts, but I've been continually getting better for almost a thousand years! You cannot hope to—" "About that," Carrot Top interjected. "You keep saying 'martial arts.' Which one? They do have names you know. Tia Quan Do, Karate, Jujitsu, Praying Manticore-style Kung Fu." The monkey's right eye twitched. "My style needs no name, for I am the only being to practice it! It is the accumulation of all my knowledge about fighting these last thousand years!" Carrot Top's breathing had stabilized. "Um, I don't think that qualifies as a 'martial art.' It's more just your skill at fighting. And, if what I read is right, what you're doing isn't a martial art anyway because you fight with a weapon, your staff!" "What are you, a dictionary? I'm a king, I can call my fighting style whatever I want! Now let's cut the talking, and go back to me beating the stuffing out of you!" He started to charge at Carrot Top, but stopped when a booming voice filled the air. "MONKEY KING. I HAVE ARRIVED AS YOU REQUESTED! NOW, STOP HURTING MY CITIZENS AT ONCE!" The voice was loud, and seemed to be coming the direction behind Town Hall. "C-Celestia?" As he spoke Wukong's eyes were wide and his pupils beady. Large beads of sweat traced down his face. Looking behind him at his subjects, he turned toward the voice and as calmly as he could said. "W-well it took you less time than I thought to get here, Celestia! I'll stop this duel with your pet now, but if you want the rest of them safely returned, you will head our demands!" "SPEAK. WHAT DO YOU REQUIRE FROM ME?" After the voice's answer filled the air, a small and fragile smile crept over Sun Wukong's face. "First, I want you to cede some of your land to my country." Carrot Top gasped at the King's request. "I HAD EXPECTED AS MUCH. WHICH LANDS SPECIFICALLY?" The smallest chuckle escaped Wukong's lips. "I want the Haysead Swamps, and the badlands to the west of them. I also want a team of earth ponies and pegasi to terraform the badlands into a jungle." There was a short pause before the voice responded. "I WILL SEE TO IT THAT IS DONE. THE TERRAFORMING MAY TAKE SOME TIME THOUGH." Sun Wukong's eyes narrowed at the reply. "I did not think you would part with that land so easily." He frowned before he continued, "My second request is that you...apologize." "WHAT." The voice sounded unsure now. "I MEAN, FOR WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO APOLOGIZE?" "Oh please, I think you know." A vein on his forehead throbbed as he said, "I want you to make a public confession of the wrong you did me 386 years ago, and then apologize profusely!" "AH YES, THAT WRONG. COULD, uh, YOU REMIND ME WHAT THAT WAS EXACTLY?" For a single sylabble, the voice sounded nothing like the Sun Princess. "Deceiver! You are not Celestia!" He looked from the Town Hall to Carrot Top. "What could you be trying to distract me from?" He started to turn towards the cages, but before he could a hoof connected with his face. As Carrot Top landed from her jump, Wukong hit the ground. He shakily got up, using his staff as a crutch. He touched his cheek with his hand, and when he looked at it there was blood. The monkey crowd's jaws had dropped. Wukong stared at Carrot as if he didn't believe what was happening. "You hit me." Carrot Top moved her shoulders in a shrug and said, "Yeah, I did. You shouldn't turn you back on an opponent like that, y'know. You'd think somemonkey with a millenia of fighting experience would know that." The entire army of monkeys gasped. Sun Wukong started breathing heavily, and said in a voice dripping with rage, "You cannot strike me! I am the King! You are a commoner, a street-rat! You are not worthy to even clean my clothes!" He swung his staff, and as is moved through the air is extended. Carrot tried to dodge too late, and it struck her in the side. She was sent flying and hit the side of Town Hall before crumpling onto the ground. Not seconds after Bon Bon emerged from behind the building. "Carrot Top! Are you okay?" Carrot didn't answer her. The Monkey King turned around and saw Vinyl slumped against the outside of the cage, while Derpy was just arriving overhead. Realizing their plan, he looked into makeshift prison, and saw it was empty. "Subjects! Round up these ponies and bring them to me! It won't be as good a bargaining position, but it looks like we'll have to hold these four hostage instead!" ((Author's Note: Sorry for the wait, I had a crisis of writing skill. Thanks to a prereader from Equestria Daily for reminding me of the rule "Show Don't Tell", and because of that advice I think this chapter is better than it would have been otherwise. I hope you enjoy, another chapter is coming soon!))