A short little story of ApeTrully's secret being discovered. This is my fourth attempt, or something like that, and they're all different enough. :)

"The Amulet of Truth is mere legend," ApeTrully declared nervously.

Everybody was gathered. The battle lines were drawn. It was looking to be one of the fiercest conflicts in the history of Hidden Kingdom. And there, sitting on Bearstomp's shoulder, was High Roller. He pulled out a golden necklace with a burning red jewel in the middle. ApeTrully's heart stopped as a beam of red light hit him.

"Let's see what big secret you're hiding!" High Roller crowed.

There was a tightness that surrounded him, as if he was being squeezed by an invisible hand. He heard cracking as his costume began falling to pieces. ApeTrully gasped as the suit exploded around him and he was dropped unceremoniously to the ground, panting. For a brief moment, he was sure that this was one of his recurring nightmares, and that he would wake up in bed, but then High Roller laughed.

"ApeTrully is a Monkey?! A pacifist Monkey! Who would have thought?"

The red Monkey curled up and covered his eyes, too ashamed to even look at his soldiers. He could hear the laughter from the Bears, and the painful silence from his own men. Shouts sounded out after about a minute and there was the rush of feet. Then battle rang out. Still, the Monkey didn't move. He wasn't afraid of getting hit, or even of death. Nothing could feel as bad as he did at that moment. A smooth Human hand brushed against his fur, and he shot away from the contact. He stared with wide eyes at Lin Chung, who was kneeling down to where he had been.

"Commander? Are you alright?"

The Monkey glanced away, hugging himself and looking rather vulnerable. Lin Chung reached for him, but the animal backed up again.

"Commander? We must get you to safety. There is a great battle going on. Please?"

The Monkey looked up and was about to say something when a Bear charged toward him. Before Lin Chung could move, his commander had brought the Bear down with ease then huddled up again. Lin Chung was shocked.

"I didn't know you could do that."

"Did you not hear High Roller?" the Monkey asked bitterly.

"Which part?"

"The jab about me being a pacifist."

"Aren't you?"

"Not a total one. I can fight when I need to, but I prefer not to."

"Seems like a noble thing. But why do you let yourself get captured so often when you're in costume?"

"Two reasons. One, I know you'll come after me if I can't get away. And two…it is rather difficult to move in that costume. I can do it if I use more strength than usual, but it is exhausting."

"I see." Lin Chung flinched as another Bear stumbled backward and nearly landed on the Monkey, who dodged easily. "Commander, we must get you to safety."

"No, Lin Chung. I am going home. You are in charge," the Monkey said, walking toward the forest.

"What, why?" Lin Chung asked, hurrying up to walk alongside him.

"No Human will follow a Monkey. As a matter of fact, no animal will, either. Especially not me."

"What does that mean?"

"Ask Makani. Or Latimer. Or Hua and Huan. Or any of them."

"If this is about what the Monkey King did, that's moot. You're nothing like him."

The Monkey laughed harshly, spinning around at the edge of the forest. "You do not know what I am like, Lin Chung! You, who hides as I did!"

"What are you talking about?"

"You are the Báo-haizi! You are part Panther, yet you hide behind a Human façade! How would you like your truth to be revealed? Maybe then you would know how I feel!"

Lin Chung froze, but the Monkey kept walking. He paused at the edge of the forest and looked back, fear and hope alight in his red eyes, but Lin Chung just stared, so he entered the leafy boughs. Lin Chung just couldn't move even as he heard High Roller call his retreat. How had his commander known about his heritage? He had been sure to keep it as secret as possible. So how did that tidbit of information get to his leader?

"Lin Chung!" Mr. No Hands shouted, flying over to land beside him. Everybody began to gather around.

"Huh?" Lin Chung asked, looking at the man blankly.

"Where's Commander ApeTrully?"

"Commander…" Lin Chung swallowed and turned to stare back at the foliage that had engulfed their leader. "He…He went over there."

"Are you alright?" Mighty Ray asked, poking his arm.

"Yeah, Lin Chung, you look a little…spooked," Mystique Sonia said gently.

"I…I don't think he's coming back," Lin Chung said.

"What?!" they all shouted.

"What makes you say that?" Mr. No Hands demanded.

"He put me in charge."

Dead silence. Even Mighty Ray didn't comment that he would be a better leader. Nobody really knew what to do, so they all stared at the place that Lin Chung was looking. There was a crash of thunder signaling rain was coming, yet still they waited for their leader to come back. The realization hit the Panther boy first. He slowly turned and got on his Turtle, who looked up at him.

"Let's go home," Lin Chung said sadly.

Group by group, the others followed suit until it was only the Parrots and Woo. Woo was so confused. He wanted his friend back, even if he was a Monkey. He began to cry, sobbing softly. Parrot King wrapped a comforting wing around him.

"Brawk, he should not have kept it secret from you."

"Y-you knew?" Woo asked, eyes holding pain.

"Yes. Blayze was a student of mine. He was the brightest I ever had. By far my favorite."

"Why?"

That question was so broad. Why did the Monkey hide from him? Why did he feel the need to wear a costume in the first place? Why would he not tell his closest friends? Why would he not care how it would hurt? All those questions and more were shining out of the diminutive Human's brown eyes. And Parrot King had an answer for none of them. The Monkey had never explained any of that to him. He had asked for his privacy to be respected. With that question, Latimer knew that he should have pried harder.

"I do not have the answers you seek, Woo. Come. The weather is about to turn foul."

Woo reluctantly got onto the lone Turtle and they began the long trek home. Unbeknownst to them, two pairs of eyes watched them, a red pair and a blue. The two Monkeys stepped out of the forest to watch them go.

"Come on, Woo. Look back. Please," Blayze whispered desperately.

"He cannot hear you, Monkey of my heart," the blue Monkey said with a shake of his head.

"He must hear me, Hardwin. If he doesn't take me back, then Big Green will go on without me," the red one moaned.

Woo was just about out of sight when Blayze gave up. He turned and touched a tree when there was a rapid noise. He was gripped around the middle so hard that he gasped for air and hit the ground squirming free of the grasp. He pulled away just as the first few raindrops pattered down from the clouds, spinning around to see his best Human friend in the universe. He shivered as Woo leaped up and embraced him again.

"Oh, my friend. I thought you wouldn't look back," Blayze sighed.

"I almost didn't. I was afraid you wouldn't be there," Woo sighed back.

There was a tap to the red Monkey's shoulder and he turned to look at the blue Monkey.

"Latimer was right. The sky is breaking open right now. It will be a terrible storm. We must get to safety, and Monkey Kingdom is the closest safe harbor."

"You are right, Hardwin. Come, Woo. Get on your Turtle. We shall go to my home," Blayze said. "Hopefully the Parrots will get to Big Green in time.

As Woo rode along on the ground, the two Monkeys dashed through the trees, just as fast as the hard-working Turtle. They broke through a sheet of greenery and Woo gasped as he saw the beautiful kingdom of the Monkeys for the first time. He looked at the rainbow of Monkeys, from green to pink to orange to yellow to purple, so many different colors, and of all different ages. Woo had honestly never seen a child from any species besides the Turtles. They kept their young, and most of their females, far away from Humans' prying eyes, save those closest to them.

They went right up to Monkey Castle, and the red Monkey helped Woo off the Turtle then turned to a yellow Monkey.

"Gui!"

"Yes, your majesty?"

"Please go get some of the finest tea leaves and give them to Xiao Shui, yes?"

"I am assuming that Xiao Shui is the Turtle?" Gui asked politely.

"Yes."

"And for the Human?"

"I shall tell you later. I will show him to his room so that he may bathe away the stench of battle, yes?"

Gui nodded and lightly touched the Turtle to guide him away. Woo watched him go then turned to look at the red Monkey.

"You're the Monkey King?"

"Yes," was the short answer.

"Do…Do you have a name? Or should I just call you Monkey King?" Woo asked hesitantly.

The red Monkey gave an amused yip. "My name is Blayze. You may call me that."

"Oh…Okay, Blayze." Woo shivered and Blayze frowned.

"I forgot that Humans do not have fur and cannot stay warm as we can," Hardwin muttered.

"You go prepare some fried rice and noodles. I shall take him to his room," Blayze repeated. "If that is acceptable?"

"I don't care what I eat. I'm just hungry," Woo said with a shrug as he tried to stop shivering.

"Come, I shall draw you a bath."

The room was very spacious and painted a glorious red. The bathroom attached was a good size with a large tub set off to the side. Blayze closed all the windows and ran a hot bath. By the time he was done, the Human was shaking so badly that he couldn't work his hands properly. Blayze was upset at the state of his friend.

"You should have told me you were cold!" he scolded.

"I wasn't until we got into the castle!" Woo moaned.

Blayze helped the Human out of his clothes then lowered him into the steaming water. Woo's skin flushed immediately. Blayze watched carefully for a minute as the man adjusted to the heat.

"Better?" Blayze asked softly.

"Yes. Much," Woo sighed.

"Good. I am glad. If you do not need anything else, I shall leave you to your bath."

There was a brief look of panic, so quick that Blayze thought he'd imagined it.

"I don't have to leave if you don't want me to," he said, frowning slightly.

"It's just…I don't know this place. You and my Turtle are the only ones I know. I would rather you stay in here with me. Besides, you need a bath, too, right?" Woo asked.

"Yes. But you Humans are so finicky about seeing each other naked that I thought you would be uncomfortable."

"You're my best friend, Blayze. I don't mind. It's not like your female. And even if you were, you're not exactly Human yourself."

Blayze studied him for a moment then shrugged. "There are some things about Humans that I fear I shall never understand."

With that, the Monkey King slipped into the tub and went under the water. He came back up and grabbed the soap then began to wash. Woo watched him for a moment.

"How come nobody's seen you bathing before?"

Blayze snorted as he scrubbed his tail. "It has not been easy, Woo. I usually do it at night around midnight when everybody else is asleep, but Lin Chung sometimes stays up late and decides he wishes to shower. He has almost caught me more times than I can count."

"Oh…" The question was burning on Woo's tongue, but he was afraid of the answer. Blayze looked up at him when he stayed silent.

"You can ask me, Woo. I will not be angry or offended."

"Why didn't you tell me you were a Monkey?" Woo asked in a rush.

Blayze knew it was coming, but it couldn't stop his flinch. Woo looked afraid that he'd offended him anyway.

"I am sorry for my reaction, Woo," the Monkey said quietly as he handed the soap over. "Do not be afraid. It is just the question I have feared to hear for ten years. I am not offended that you have asked it. The way you spoke is actually gentler than I had ever dared to hope for."

"Why? Why are you so afraid of us? Have we given you cause to fear us?" Woo asked, scrubbing himself.

Blayze shifted uncomfortably then hoisted himself up to sit on the edge of the tub. "What Human would willingly follow a Monkey?"

Woo paused and stared at him. "I would, if it was you." He thought for a second then resumed washing himself. "I must admit, the costume was probably useful at first, but once you proved your leadership skills, it became moot. In my opinion, at least."

Blayze stood and grabbed a towel, not looking at his Human friend. Woo finished bathing and ducked under the water to wash the soap off then got out and grabbed another one, curling it around himself. He sensed that Blayze was upset.

"B-Blayze? Did I say something wrong?"

"Woo, how long do you think my ruse as a Human lasted?"

"Well, Big Green is five years old, so I guess…" Woo paused when Blayze looked at him with a stony expression. Woo suddenly realized what his Monkey friend had said earlier. "Ten years?!" Woo asked in dismay. "You pretended to be a Human for ten years?!"

"At first it was on and off," Blayze said softly. "Back when my father was still alive, Monkeys weren't allowed to interact with anybody. I was rather rebellious, and he thought lessons with Parrot King would calm me down. Needless to say, they only inflamed my curiosity. I came up with the Human disguise to interact with the Humans safely and without my father finding out. I made many mistakes at first, but my costume then is not the one I use now. I looked like a young boy, so I was excused most of the time."

There was a pause and Blayze suddenly looked tired. "I never knew my disguise would become permanent. My parents died three years into my ruse, leaving me the sole heir to the throne. I ran Monkey Kingdom for two years, sneaking out as often as possible to keep in touch with what was going on in the Human world. My friends Hardwin, the blue Monkey, and Gui, the yellow servant, would help me with this. Then High Roller came.

"He tricked most of the other kings and queens. The only ones to not believe him were the Turtle King and me. I brooded for two weeks on what to do. I barely ate anything, hardly slept at all. I was disturbed greatly. Yet the whole time I knew what I had to do. It had to be me. I, whose great studies had imparted on me every animal language known, the geography of Hidden Kingdom, the legends and lore, and the customs of every group in our fair land. I had to fight what was going on. I announced to my kingdom my choice, and they were reluctant—I was the first beloved ruler in many, many, many generations—but they saw my reasoning and let me go. I put Hardwin in charge, and I left for my life as a permanent Human. It has not been easy by any means. Turtle King was reluctant to join me for a month. They finally joined me and I began recruiting Humans, starting with you. You were the wisest person I knew, so I figured that was a good place to start."

Woo stood there in his towel, taking in the information. He looked down finally and tears were in his eyes.

"I have something to confess, Blayze. I just don't know how to say it." There was a long stretch of nothing and Woo began crying. The Monkey King embraced him, and his voice was ever so tender when he spoke.

"I know that you are not as old as you pretend to be. You are only twenty years old. And you know something? I do not care. You still come up with the best inventions, the greatest tactical plans, and the most amazing ideas for the animals. I have never once regretted my decision to recruit you. I love you, friend of my heart. I well and truly do."

Woo let out a breath and wiped his eyes, smiling at his friend. "Thank you." The Human looked to his clothes then blushed. "I am afraid there is a problem."

"And that is?" Blayze asked then followed his gaze. "Oh…that is a problem. For a Human."

"What will I do?" Woo asked.

"Well, you could stay in this room and we could eat in here. That way only three Monkeys would see you without clothing."

"Sounds like a plan."

"Let me go tell Hardwin."

Woo hung up his towel then walked over to the bed and climbed up, nervous again. His friend disappeared for five minutes, during which, Woo wrapped the blankets around his hips. He had been serious about not minding Blayze see him naked, but others? Even if they were animals, they were quite intelligent and knew what was what. Woo knew that he was small in more than his height, and it had always embarrassed him, which was why he always tried to avoid others seeing him. And now he was trapped in a room with nothing to wear. Did he dare put on his wet clothes again? He was about to get up and go feel just how cold they were when the door opened and three Monkeys came in. Blayze was in front carrying four bowls of food in two stacks of two, Gui was in back carrying two drinks, and Hardwin was in the middle carrying drinks as well. Woo immediately tightened his grip on the blanket.

"Sorry to take so long, friend of my heart, but the rice wasn't in the bowls yet."

"That is fine, Blayze." Woo flinched as his stomach made a demanding noise, making the Monkeys laugh.

"Here you are. Fried rice on top of noodles," the red Monkey said, holding out a bowl as the other two set the drinks on the bedside table. Woo gratefully took it.

"Thank you."

The three Monkeys hopped up on the bed and began to eat without any more talking. Woo knew that they were comfortable, but he wasn't. How could he be when he wore nothing? He was hungry, however, so he eagerly began to eat…Wait, where were the chopsticks? He felt embarrassed and looked to Blayze, who had gotten through the rice and to his noodles. He was using his long tongue to lick up the pasta with no trouble. The other two were doing the same. Blayze, feeling Woo's gaze, looked up. He glanced at the full bowl then looked embarrassed himself.

"Sorry, Woo. I forgot."

The other Monkeys paused and blinked.

"You forgot what?" Hardwin asked.

Blayze walked over to a drawer and pulled out what Woo needed then hopped back on the bed and offered them to him.

"Here you are."

"Thanks."

Woo began to eat with great pleasure. The rice was exquisite, and once he got down to the noodles, he found them just as good. He sucked up the juice when he was done, very pleased with his dinner. He was handed a drink and took a sip, sputtering when he realized what it was.

"You told me you didn't drink wine!" Woo scolded.

"I said that to get you to stop asking if I would have a drink with you. When I am at Big Green, I must stay completely sober or else I might take off my costume, purposefully or on accident. I do enjoy a good cup of wine every once in a while, but I also honestly love juice, and prefer it over wine any day."

Woo frowned. "You just keep lying to me, don't you?"

He took a long draught of the drink and lowered the cup to see a teary-eyed Blayze and glaring yellow and blue Monkeys. He switched hands and hesitantly reached out to touch the furred being. The fur was still damp, but seemed to be extremely soft. Blayze looked at him, pain in his eyes.

"I did not mean it harshly," Woo said softly.

"But you did mean it," Blayze whispered. Woo averted his gaze, unable to deny that. "It is the truth, anyway," the red Monkey continued, wiping his eyes. "I just was afraid to trust anybody. I should have trusted you, Woo. You are my closest, most trusted friend. And I am sorry I let you down."

Woo also couldn't deny that he was let down, but he pet the Monkey gently. "It is alright, Commander. You have kept your secret for years longer than I expected. You were stressed. But now you can relax. In fact, I can give you a pressure point if you'd like. You've never had one, and they're quite relaxing."

Blayze blinked at him then smiled. "That sounds wonderful." He knocked back the rest of his wine then lay on his stomach, waiting. Woo finished his own wine and began to stand, but he realized again that he was naked and sank back down. Blayze looked at him and arched an eyebrow. "Something wrong?"

Woo glanced down at himself and understanding flashed into Blayze's face.

"You do not have to be embarrassed of your nakedness, Woo. They will mind about as much as I do."

"They won't stare?"

"I…cannot promise that. They have never seen a Human naked before. They are rather curious."

Woo blushed and muttered. "I…They won't point or anything will they?"

Hardwin and Gui glanced at each other, confused. "Of course not. Pointing is rude," Gui said with a shake of his head.

"Relax, Human," Hardwin snorted. "You are safe with us."

Woo's face got hotter as he shyly stood and hurried over to kneel down beside Blayze, who nodded encouragingly then lowered his head down on his arms and relaxed. Woo's hands sought the first pressure point, pressing down hard. Blayze yelped, bunching the blanket up in his paws.

"I thought you said it feels good!" he whimpered.

"It takes a couple pressure points for you to relax first. It'll get better," the Human promised.

Three more pressure points and Blayze went limp. The next one was ecstasy to his tired, stressed body, and they just got better. By the time the Human was done, Blayze was making soft noises of delight. Woo had also forgotten that his form was bare. He helped flip his friend over and smiled at him.

"Better."

"…I am now sleeping right here tonight," Blayze sighed happily.

Woo laughed. "It was that good, eh?"

"Mmhm."

"Maybe one day you could do it to me. I've never felt it."

Blayze stared up at him for a moment then forced himself up. Woo suddenly found himself lying on his belly. He wriggled as Blayze pressed his hands onto the first spot. "Ready?"

"Blayze, you don't have to do it right now," Woo said, trying to push up. He was shoved back down.

"Nonsense. Relax or this will hurt more."

Woo tried his best, but soon it was effortless. The Monkey was quick and precise, making sure Woo felt amazing before moving on to the next one. The Human was half asleep by the time he was done. Blayze cuddled him under the blanket then turned to his Monkey friends.

"Okay now. I'll see you in the morning. Go get some sleep. That includes you, Gui."

"Yes, sir. Goodnight."

"Night, Blayze," Hardwin said as he and the yellow Monkey gathered up the empty bowls and cups.

"Night."

Blayze watched them go then slipped under the blankets, yawning. Woo woke a little.

"What are you doing?"

"I told you I would sleep in here tonight. That way you do not wake up alone."

Woo smiled tiredly. "Thank you, Blayze."

Blayze nodded then cuddled up to his friend. They both fell asleep easily, glad that the truth was out.