Hello! I write LMK fanfic on AO3 as LucaGray and mostly use this blog for sharing fanart and fics, providing additional details on my AUs, general ramblings about LMK and sharing any little art projects I'm working on.
Shadow (AO3 | Tumblr) - Shadowpeach, post-reconciliation, slice of life fic. Mix of worldbuilding, difficult conversations and lighthearted fun. Contains explicit content but it can easily be skipped (Status: Ongoing)
Monkey See, Monkey Do (AO3) - A fic exploring how Macaque came to live on FFM and his developing relationships with Wukong and the Generals and Marshals (Status: Ongoing)
Sensitive Ear (AO3 | Tumblr) - A oneshot exploring Macaque's ability to hear the past and future, could be interpreted as Shadowpeach (Status: Complete)
Anything For Free Noodles (AO3 | Tumblr) - A Dadsy oneshot about Tang's first time babysitting a young MK (Status: Complete)
✨Please feel free to ask me anything about my AUs or fics - I love getting a chance to talk about them!✨
Lowkey I really need Shadow! Macaque to somewhat make it bcs his Wukong highkey looks ready to jump if Macaque deteriotes and basically does ngl
Wukong would indeed be in a VERY bad way if something were to happen to Macaque!
I'll admit the Shadow AU just gets made up on the fly so I really don't know how that story ends but I don't think it will have a bad ending necessarily.
I don't know when I'll ever get a chance to get back to writing fanfic so I've put a couple of thoughts below how Shadow might end below the cut!
So, any ending I do for foresee for this AU normally takes place a long, long time after the events of LMK - I'm talking hundreds, if not thousands of years.
I could see myself reusing elements of this post I made a while back which involves both Wukong and Macaque becoming one with their elements, the former a stone statue meditating for eternity and the latter a shadow that drifts across the world without a purpose.
If I were to play a round with that some, it would probably be less tragic than it was in that original post, there would be more conscious decisions made by both Mac and Wukong and the spiritual connection between them would remain strong.
I think I'd view it as the two of them finding a new mode of existence, one more spiritual in nature than physical. Maybe Wukong leaves his body behind to follow Mac permanently into the Void, their souls intertwined as they exist as part of everything and nothing? Maybe Wukong maintains his body but it slowly turns to stone as he meditates to maintain his connection with Mac's spirit - still technically available if the world needs him but otherwise he's made his choice to experience the world with Mac, through Mac's "eyes".
I never really think about the scenario where they somehow "save" Mac from returning to the Void because I guess I find that a little boring? And while it's not necessarily a conventional happy ending, I do think the idea of them becoming some more (and other) together sort of sappy and sweet? And it's as close to a "happily ever after" as I'm likely to ever give them to be honest!
But yeah, nothing's set in stone and one day I might finally get back to writing and decide on a different direction altogether but this is where my thoughts are generally at with regard to an ending for now!
Correction: Made the little stone *MK* figure from Lego Monkey King for my siblings birthday! I might try make a more show accurate one later!
I initially thought this was Sun Wukong (the monkey king)'s stone but I've actually MK's stone!
Original- no idea which episode this is from but it is the magic stone/rock that Sun Wukong (The Monkey King) came from in the Lego Monkey Kid TV series
Man, I've really been thinking up ways to make my poor guy's life even worse a lot recently. The price of being the favourite, I suppose... 😔
Anyway!
So in the show Mac looks remarkably similar to Wukong and I thought it might be interesting if that was all a glamour and in fact he has little in common with Wukong beyond the fact their both monkey demons.
So, roll with me here, Macaque is a pretty average looking monkey demon, right? A bit scrawny, no red mask, grey fur - the only remarkable feature is his ears and most people find them very off putting to look at.
He has three pairs of ears but they are fused to his head and each other, almost like they've been melted into his skin, and within each ear canal is a swollen, glowing tumour. He'd be hard pressed to tell you what was worse - people being repulsed by them or the rare individual thinking they contain some potent magic worth trying to kill him for.
So he generally feels average at best and repulsive at worst.
Then imagine standing next to the Handsome Monkey King.
Before he figures out glamours, he just hides his ears with very obvious shadows - sure that gets looks too but better people think him weird or mysterious. The shadows take different forms over the years - a hat, a ribbon he ties under his chin, a black mist, ear muffs. He'd use actual cloth to cover them but his ears are too sensitive for it.
He can't really do anything about how dull he looks compared to his radiant friend however.
Wukong doesn't really mind how Mac looks but he sees that it's getting his buddy down, especially the more they start exploring the world and meeting people, so he starts searching for something to make him feel better about himself and eventually he stumbles upon glamours.
But when he shares this discovery with Mac, he tells him that if he doesn't like the way he looks then why doesn't he try looking more like him instead? After all, he is the Handsome Monkey King - who wouldn't want to look like him? Obviously, he tells Mac, that he can't look exactly like him but who better to use as his blueprint.
Macaque can't disagree - Wukong is everything he wants to be how could he pass up such an offer?
And after a bit of experimenting he comes up with the appearance we recognise from LMK.
As damaging as this decision will be for Mac's self confidence and sense of self in the future, to start with it feels like the best decision he's ever made - he feels more confident and while he'll never be as bold as Wukong, it goes a long way in bringing him put of his shell and he flourishes.
Wukong is delighted, declaring that they look like brothers, and that bolsters Mac's self worth too.
It's all going great.
Until his and Wukong's relationship falls apart.
Until he's brought back from the dead and can't stand the way he looks - both his actual appearance and the second skin he wore for so long.
He inevitably sticks with the latter, even if he feels wretched for it. Everything he thinks about himself and Wukong is an intertwined mess but equally his disgust for how he actually looks has only ever grown over the years and why think about that when he could think about getting revenge?
I think it could be an interesting plot point if at some point, probably after Season 3, while trying to dispel some other illusion, MK accidentally breaks his glamours and that becomes the catalyst for Macaque at least having a long hard look in the mirror. It will not be fun and I can see him running away and getting trapped in an awful depressive spiral before that happens though.
It would be interesting to explore Wukong's perspective too because with hindsight he can see that his well intended suggestion to look like him did a lot more harm than good. He feels conflicted about it and he grapples with whether he can or should do something now to help.
I'm tempted to make a fic on AO3 that contains all my pretty fleshed out LMK ideas that are here on Tumblr such as the Co-Exist AU - the ones where the bones of the story are all there but I just don't have the will to turn them into fully fledged fics - because I know not everyone on AO3 uses Tumblr. I don't think that it would violate AO3's content policy but I guess I'm just looking for a sense check so:
Should I make a "Tumblr Rough Works" fic on AO3?
Yes
No
Nuanced answer (Please comment!)
Voting ended onOct 26, 2025
I suppose the other benefit is that on AO3 it is then easier to find those ideas again if you liked them!
I think I maybe have like 5 chapters I could post? 8 if I post the Co-exist parts separately. I could also incorporate some of the comments I got on those ideas that really fleshed out them out too as a lot of people probably wouldn't have seen that extra detail.
I'll be honest part of my motivation is that comment culture is a bigger thing on AO3 and I do like talking about my ideas 😅 Especially since I don't have any time for actually writing proper fics at the moment. So this might save me from going through fic writing withdrawal 😅
Yet another idea for how to incorporate Mac's JTTW powers to hear past, present and future for you, this time featuring Rumble and Savage!
Macaque survives his fight with Wukong and runs. He runs until he feels he's safe from Wukong's wrath, he runs until he physically can't run any more. He collapses but it isn't the exhaustion that keeps him down - it's the grief, the loss and the hopelessness. But while his pain keeps his body immobile, it does the opposite to his magic.
As he lies there, it spreads from him and changes the surrounding forest and it's inhabitants, infusing them with shadow magic. It's an area that becomes impossible to navigate without possessing shadow magic, even golden vision struggles to make sense of the swirling darkness that has consumed this part of the world, a certain lantern the only real way to see anything within the inky black.
Macaque is oblivious to this for some time, only really regaining awareness when some of the denizens of the forest that he has unwittingly mutated approach him. Because within this forest, there were, of course, a troupe of monkeys and two of them in particular happened to be the closest living creatures to Macaque when his magic started to transform the world around him.
Enter Rumble and Savage.
All the creatures within the forest can slip between physical and shadow forms, and some even have shadow tendrils or other weaker variations of one or two of Mac's powers, but R&S have more or less all of his shadow powers split between them, albeit still significantly weaker than Mac's. For example, R can use portals but can't make them very big or use them across as large a distance, and S can make physical shadows/clones but not as many and not as durable. The two also stop aging.
All of the other creatures don't really change mentally, quickly adapting to their mutations and their changed environment to continue on more or less the same way they had before but R&S, while remaining monkeys, do become more intelligent and over time are influenced by particular facets of Mac's personality. Most notably, R is responsible and a bit of a worrier, while S is curious and prone to mischief.
Despite responding to R&S and the rest of the troupe, Mac is pretty despondent for a good while but thankfully while he is mentally checked out his instincts to protect and provide for the troupe are still mostly in tact so the start of a new life slowly starts to take shape.
It would have been a fairly peaceful existence, if not a little mundane, if it hadn't been for the emergence of his power to hear past, present and future.
It begins with the present and at first he thinks its delusion born from longing and grief - he thinks he's only imagining the sounds of Flower Fruit Mountain or simply remembering them so vividly they feel real but then Wukong returns to the island. For a while he's convinced he's finally gone off the deep end, his mind preoccupied with this one what if scenario but there's something off about it.
It would be an easy thing to check, a portal back to his former home to see if Wukong really is there and saying all these things he's hearing but fear and pain keep him from doing so. Instead, he reasons that if he is somehow really able to hear the island from here then why not somewhere else far away? And so he tries to focus on somewhere else, and he starts to hear the sounds of a bustling city, although the sounds of the island won't leave his ears still.
But he finds himself wary to actually leave the place he feels safe. Savage however is more than happy to put herself forward to check it out and after a bit of fretting Mac eventually agrees and opens a portal for her to poke her head through, although R has to grab her before she decides she should go for a meander.
After a few more tests, it becomes apparent he can hear just about anywhere if he puts his mind to it and the back of his mind slowly fills with murmurs from around the world. A strange power, not particularly helpful but one that doesn't seem to be doing any harm even if a truly silent moment is now beyond him - if anything some of the monkeys like when he listens in somewhere with some juicy gossip to spill.
The past comes next.
While sharing some royal family drama from the capital, the monkeys ask for more detail of how said drama got to this point and in dutifully listening for some context clues he suddenly finds himself able to hear the events that led up to the powwow in the present. It's a startling discovery and against all his best judgement he inevitably tests out this power on his own past.
And Wukong's.
It's an endeavour that provides a lot of clarity, filling in the blanks and correcting memories that his mind has twisted over time, but while it eventually may lead him to some peace of mind, in the interim it leaves him an emotional wreck, reliving his worst memories and confirming the one-sided nature of his relationship with Wukong.
Uniquely in tune with Mac's emotional state and able to respond quickly, R&S do a lot of damage control - evacuating monkeys and other creatures to a safe distance from Mac himself and defending them from the spikes and tendrils that ripple through the forest in response to his distress. They're the only ones that can get near him when he loses himself to the past.
It takes a long time but eventually he stops listening obsessively to his own past and his mental state stabilises somewhat. His ability to listen to the past is again not super helpful given his current situation and in fact can see him becoming completely unresponsive if he gets caught up listening. Constant murmurs of the psst of joined those of the present and he sometimes finds himself getting confused of where he is in time.
A problem that gets significantly worse when his future hearing begins.
There's no apparent trigger to the future hearing and from the monkeys' perspective one day he seems to just start having conversations with himself - answering questions that only he can hear, sometimes causing him to snap at them for asking him the same thing again when for them it's the first time they've asked. He flinches and panics at threats to the world that have yet to come.
He is increasingly unstable, his grasp on time unreliable. He begins to withdraw from the troupe to spare them the difficulty of dealing with him like this, and sits in meditation and letting past, present and future come and go without responding to it.
He will generally only respond to R&S - who have taken a vow of silence and will only communicate with him via his other senses so he knows that they're trying to tell him something relevant to the present. They become his carers and guardians in a way and they keep a mental note of anything he tells them about the future that pertains to their home.
Such as future visitors and what to do about them.
At some point, the strange, unsanctioned transformation of the forest that Mac now calls home catches the attention of some Heavenly officials. They can neither see through the ominous dark to figure out what's caused it or get close enough to investigate without said dark attacking them and once they report it back, the Jade Emperor asks Wukong to check it out. Largely because he has Golden Vision and is indestructible but he does already suspect the root cause of the problem might be monkey related in origin.
Wukong, of course, immediately recognises Mac's magic but is feeling all sorts of messed up and conflicted about actually entering his domain and asking him how he's been and what the deal is with this whole situation. Part of him wants to just report back that all is fine and it's just his old buddy's new digs - nothing nefarious here, no sir! Except, he doesn't actually know that and as much as he really doesn't want a confrontation with Mac he does deep down really want to see him.
Easier said than done however and many failed, and sometimes painful, attempts to reach Mac later he eventually comes across the solution when looking for answers back at the island while going through Mac's stuff.
The lantern provides a glowing purple silhouette to the flora and fauna of Mac's forest that allows him to navigate it and as it recognises the magic in the lamp as its own, it stops trying to attack him. Wukong does not enjoy being in the forest, grumbling about its eerie vibes and aesthetics while he searches for Mac.
R&S are NOT happy to see him tho and they don't make his job any easier, using their powers to disorientate him and try and chase him out. They stop shy of outright attacking him themselves as they're aware that's not a fight they would win but they still stand in front of Mac protectively when he inevitably finds him.
Wukong doesn't know what to make of these silent, seething sentinels but he's a little more preoccupied with the fact that Mac hasn't responded to his presence and that his name is now literal - with six ears pulsing various colours in an inexplicably off putting manner.
Ignoring R&S, he makes his way closer to Mac, hand a hairbreadth away from making contact when his eyes snap open.
The conversation that follows is confusing and distressing with Mac apparently having multiple discussions with different versions of him at once and getting increasingly agitated as he stands and paces, and even when he does seem to respond to what Wukong is actually saying he can't consistently speak in the correct tense - making him difficult to understand.
Things take a turn for the worse when Mac starts focusing in on the argument he had with Wukong during the journey but before it can turn violent, R leaps up on to Mac's shoulder while S tries to force Wukong back to give them some space.
Wukong does take a few steps back but he doesn't leave and he can only watch as R somehow calms Mac down - touching his face and shifting the shadows in ways that apparently mean something to Mac.
Mac sits back down and S goes back to his side to offer comfort. For a moment he looks at Wukong tiredly but before Wukong can say anything he shakes his head and pulls paper and a brush from the shadows and starts to write, frequently having to pause or make a correction that R or S point out.
The shadows carry the paper to Wukong but before he can attempt to read it or say anything else, he's falling through a shadow portal and finds himself back outside the forest.
He curses himself for being caught off guard but at least he's got the light he needs to read the explanation that Mac has written for him.
It explains Mac's debilitating power to hear past, present and future and that his fragile sanity is only being held together by the fact that he doesn't let himself focus on any of it. Being "in the present" was difficult at the best of times but it was impossible with Wukong there. Which honestly pretty devastating to read for Wukong but the letter goes on to tell him what to tell the Jade Emperor and that under no circumstances was he to try and do anything about Mac's situation.
Reporting back as requested? Fine. Keeping his distance to minimise distress? It hurt but he'd do it. But doing nothing to try and help? That he couldn't do. There had to be some sort of spell or artefact that could help those with clairvoyance. And he was going to find it.
He is, of course, eventually going to run in to obvious problem that he needs to take said spells or artefacts to Macaque but that's a problem for later!
He makes frustratingly little progress - oracles were rare enough as it was, let alone ones with Mac's unique circumstances - when one day he gets the shock of his life when a small shadow portal opens beside him and Savage sticks her head through. He's quick to snap to attention but he barely gets out a frantic question asking what's wrong before she rudely shoves a bit of paper in his face and disappears with the portal.
He's more upset that she's gone before he can read this letter and question her than about being smacked in the nose but he does wonder what the heck the deal is with Mac's two shadows before immediately focusing on more important matters.
The letter, unsurprisingly, tells him to stop trying to find a "cure" but it's the reason why that actually has him second guessing himself. The future becomes more certain the closer in time it is and increasingly it apparently looks like Mac's powers are going to be needed in due course. He has to stay where he is, how he is, to prevent the dissolution of reality as they know it. And Wukong's part to play in all this was to "send a hero his way when ice threatened the world".
A hero, huh?
One that wasn't him by the sounds of it.
Mac had no chance of stopping him searching for a way to free him from his curse but he could dedicate some time to finding someone he trusted to seek Mac's guidance when the time came.
Fast forward to LMK and things take a different route post "Revenge of the Spider Queen" with Wukong inevitably giving MK the lantern and telling him to find Macaque. He has as upsetting and distressing time as Wukong did visiting Mac but with some help from R&S he gets the gist that he's not the hero destined to strike down LBD but that he is going to help Mei and Red Son reforge their power to allow them to do so.
And that's about all I've got.
I think MK and the gang have another couple visits Mac after that but I it might be interesting for Xiāng Liǔ to pay Mac a visit at some point and throw a spanner in the works or for R and/or S to have to travel with the Monkie Kids for a little bit on one of their adventures.
As ever, any ideas here seem interesting to you then feel free to use them!
i really really enjoy your dadsy content, i think you do an excellent job of capturing the complexity of mk and pigsys relationship. i think there's a big trope of giving wukong dad time in fics, but although i like takes on that i feel like the pigsy stuff ends up falling by the wayside. i wish more fics handled the fact that mk wants all these people in his life! or wukong as an older brother rather than a father but that's a separate tangent. i hope you have a good day!
Thank you for such a kind comment! My Dadsy fics are very close to my heart so I'm always really happy to hear that people like them! 🥰
I do understand why people like the "Wukong is MK's dad" trope but it's just never really appealed to me as I really like the dynamic they have in the show and honestly, I think MK being raised by Pigsy makes for such an interesting plot point to dig into, as made apparent by how many fics I've written on the matter 😅
what do you think the macaque and wukong of shadow would think of the same duo from the monkey talk series? and vice versa?
Ooh! Interesting question! So, the Monkey Talk guys would very much be weirded out by the romantic elements of Shadow's relationship as neither of them have any romantic, or sexual, interest in anyone, let alone each other!
But looking past that, I think MT!Wukong would be a bit upset, if not even a little jealous, at how healthy their relationship is - a peek into how things could have been, y'know? It probably just makes MT!Mac angry, and maybe even disgusted, that this version of himself still loves Wukong even after everything he's done. (Although deep down it probably pains him that it can't just be that easy for him.)
The Shadow guys overall probably just feel bad for them, like they've been there but they can also see that the chances of them reconciling and having anything close to what they have are slim. The G&Ms are also a complicating factor because neither of the Shadow guys would think highly of MT!Wukong for lying to them about MT!Mac. I think as well that the Shadow guys feel a bit older and wiser in comparison and they maybe feel a bit embarrassed at the reminder that they used to (sort of) act like this.
Another big factor though is that Mac's back story is completely different in both AUs so there would be a lot of intrigue into exactly what the hell the other is. (If they met, neither would be willing to reveal much but MT!Mac would likely be interested in whether S!Mac could potentially be useful in finding out the truth about himself.)
If they were all to ever meet somehow tho, I think they would be capable of getting along but there'd be an underlying bitterness from the Monkey Talk guys and an underlying feeling of pity from the Shadow guys and they'd all prefer to go their separate ways as soon as possible!
Characters: LBD, Mentioned LBD Host, Sandy, Mentioned Pigsy, Mentioned Mo
Summary: Short, reflective stories for a variety of LMK characters
CW: Death, angst, very lightly implied gore?
Link to AO3 Version
Chapter Navigation: First | Prev | Next
----
Lady Bone Demon - Bones
The Lady Bone Demon had long traded away her flesh, a small price to pay for the power it had awarded her. Freed from the limitations of her physical body, her spirit only grew stronger and stronger, able to influence the world in ways she could have only dreamed of as a lowly, mortal, ice demon.
Only her bones remained, serving as her soul's anchor to the mortal realm, stopping its natural inclination to move on.
Bones and spirits were not often welcomed as an auspicious sign when they approached however and so she had developed a number of ways to ensure her appearance didn't distract mortals or upset their delicate sensibilities.
The first, was simply to cast a spell that made her appear outwardly human, indistinguishable from the real thing as long as no one got too close. It was a trick that only tended to fail if someone touched her ice cold skin or noticed a distinct lack of blood, should they be foolish enough to attack her. It was most useful for short term objectives, one off interactions and as means to secure a longer term solution.
More often than not, that involved possession.
The primary downside of this method was the need to hide her bones away somewhere safe and near but once that matter had been attended to then she was nigh undetectable to humans as long as she played her cards right.
She could exert her influence to varying degrees - from whispering thoughts into one's mind to exorcising a body's soul and assuming full control. It usually depended on her aims and whether she thought her host might serve her better alive and well in the long run.
No disguise could fool the Monkey King however.
And unfortunately, he'd been able to work out that her bones were the key to defeating her.
She had the monk to thank for insisting her bones be sealed away rather than destroyed and so much time in isolation had been surprisingly fortuitous. With nothing else to do, she had reflected upon her soul and in turn had unlocked its true potential, allowing her influence to slowly spread outwards from her prison.
Destiny had made clear her purpose but she could privately admit that the path it had laid for her was one full of unexpected twists and turns - possessing the Demon Bull King, for example, had certainly been an unexpected and novel experience.
The destruction of her bones in the process even more so.
Had she not had so much faith in Destiny's will, she might have anchored herself to the first set of bones she found. But she had remained calm, and waited for Destiny's whispers to guide her, and it wasn't long before they gently pulled her deeper into the city, leading her to a child with bones that beckoned her closer.
Truly, the child had never stood a chance, her soul cast out from her body and forced to join the spirits trapped in her orbit within mere moments but there was still work to be done to truly make these bones hers, a ritual her thrall was no doubt already preparing for.
The bones were all she needed, and once she had tethered herself to them, she would rid herself of flesh and skin once more.
The inconvenience of a rotting body one she had no need to entertain.
She kept the child's likeliness when she cast the spell to disguise her bones, it fit so perfectly, after all, and a child could make for a surprisingly effective facade.
Possession no longer a gambit she was willing to risk when it left her bones vulnerable.
The Monkey King was likely the only one that knew she'd acquired new bones, recognising that the bones that fell to the earth during that final confrontation were to small to be hers, too young.
She hoped it weighed heavily on him as he destroyed them.
---
Sandy - Gentle
Sandy had never been someone you could describe as gentle.
The world he was born into wasn't suited to someone his size and strength and so even his best attempts to keep his touch feather lighted often ended poorly.
He could only be grateful that Pigsy had been so durable when they were younger because otherwise he probably ended up a lot worse for wear than he did for hanging out with someone that could accidentally throw you clean across the room just by gesturing a little too enthusiastically.
(In hindsight, that was probably why Pigsy's reflexes were so good now - always aware of the potential for harm in even the friendliest of gestures.)
Sandy had spent a lot of his life angry. Angry at all he didn't have. Angry that he didn't fit in. Angry at how the world treated him and how it treated his fellow demons. And angry at anyone and everyone that couldn't make it better.
That anger had one outlet.
One that he'd been pushed towards the minute he'd been born.
Violence.
It had started with underground fights and it had ended with waging bloody war.
The only thing he was good for was fighting.
And for a long time, he'd even found comfort in the fact that there was something that he was good at. Something that saw him praised, respected and paid by the demons he'd thrown his lot in with.
But war took its toll.
His enemies, his friends, those caught in the crossfire...
He saw their faces when he closed his eyes.
He was too numb to feel angry, too tired to crave violence, but what else was there for him?
It was at the end of another bloody campaign that he found himself walking through the remains of the settlement they'd been sent to "liberate" - wandering through the streets as he looked for the bodies of his allies.
His body moved through the motions, his eyes looking without seeing, his ears ringing, his mind somewhere far away.
Until a small, pitiful mewl was heard from the rubble beside him.
He stopped and stared at it blankly for a long time, only moving when he heard the sound again. Still not fully present, he began to move stone and timber out of the way until finally he could see the tiny, blue kitten trapped beneath it all.
Careful not to touch it lest he hurt it, he lifted just enough of the rubble out of the way for it to crawl out, somehow miraculously unharmed by the house that had collapsed on top of it. It didn't immediately make the most of its freedom however, instead jumping up on the remnants of the house and walking towards him with intent.
He flinched as it made contact with his skin but it was undeterred, purring as it tried to rub against him. He raised a hand to push it away before remembering himself and stepping away instead and then stepping away again as the kitten followed him.
It took him an embarrassingly long moment to realise there was no need for him to awkwardly shuffle away from this cat when he could just simply turn away and leave.
But even so, the cat still wouldn't give up, quite literally running after him to keep up with his giant strides. Uncomfortable with the strange turn of events, he even tried shooing it away but as soon as he stopped to do so it took the chance to scurry straight up to his foot and rub against his shoe.
He gingerly moved his foot away before continuing his work, doing his utmost to ignore the strange little thing and hoping no one saw him being chased by a kitten smaller than his thumb.
Didn't understand how dangerous he was? How easily he could kill it without even trying?
And oh, how he was trying not to accidentally kill it as it got under his feet as he searched.
He wouldn't have been able to tell you why but he felt very strongly about not harming this tiny creature that he had unthinkingly saved.
He couldn't have known then that it was never going to stop following him, nor that it would be the reason he finally learnt to be gentle.
Bǎi Hé had been twelve years old when her life had been irrevocably changed.
Twelve years old when cold and death had forced its way inside her body and used her as a living puppet to serve its own twisted ambitions.
She had been painfully aware of everything her body had been forced to do - from her distasteful expressions to her rigid posture to her cruel tongue - but she hadn't been able to feel any of it.
She couldn't feel her hands clasped together but she knew that they were, she couldn't feel her legs move but she knew they were walking. The best description she had for it was that it felt like she was a ghost trapped a millimetre under her own skin - unable to feel her body but forced to contort to whatever shape it took.
The analogy became all the more fitting as she realised that she couldn't feel hungry, thirsty or tired anymore.
The only thing she could feel that wasn't an emotion was cold.
Her body never shivered, her breath was never visible and no goosebumps ever appeared on her skin but still her very soul ached from the unnatural cold that had burrowed itself into her bones.
But there was nothing she could do to stop it.
There was nothing she could do to stop anything that was happening.
She was little more than a collection of thoughts and feelings - reduced to a voice inside her own head.
A voice she was increasingly unsure that anyone but her could hear.
It didn't matter how much she screamed or cried, or how much she begged or pleaded it all seemed to fall on deaf ears. Even when fear gave way to anger and she howled abuse, or when anger gave way to boredom and she deliberately tried to needle her captor still there was nothing.
A lack of consequences saw her becoming increasingly bold with her scathing commentary and furious ranting but it did little to distract her from her dwindling hope of rescue.
Her hope had been given a new lease of life after the defeat of the Spider Queen and the Monkey King had discovered it was the Lady Bone Demon pulling the strings, even if she had been greatly disturbed that he had tried to attack her.
She had to remind herself that he hadn't been attacking her. No, he'd been trying to stop the Lady Bone Demon! She told herself that he must have known she was there - he was the Monkey King, after all! He had Golden Vision! He was a hero! And a hero would never have let any harm come to her! He would have feinted at the last second or pulled some other fantastic trick if the Lady Bone Demon hadn't spirited her away!
She had to believe that.
She had to believe that he'd seen her, that he knew she was here and that he was now working to save her.
She had to believe that she could be saved.
Her faith was severely tested however as the weeks stretched on with no sign of rescue and the Lady Bone Demon slowly but surely succeeding in gathering the artefacts she needed for her plans.
Where was the Monkey King?
She'd caught enough grumblings from the spider demons to know that the Monkie Kid definitely knew how to find the Spider Queen's lair and he had to have shared that information with the Monkey King, right...? She didn't really know what their relationship was but surely they had to at least talk to each other? They'd worked together to defeat the Spider Queen - they had to be doing the same to stop the Lady Bone Demon.
So where were they?
Why weren't they coming to save her?
She had nothing but time to think about it.
But while the reasons she was coming up with for the delay were getting increasingly outlandish, because there was no way that their was another supervillain worse than the Lady Bone Demon keeping them busy, it was becoming nearly impossible to ignore the possibility that the Monkey King hadn't actually seen her, that he didn't know she was the Lady Bone Demon's prisoner and if he didn't know she was here...
Then that meant that nobody did.
She didn't even know if the Lady Bone Demon knew she was here and she was terrified what that meant for her.
---
The Monkie Kid accidentally tumbling into the Spider Queen's domain brought with it a rollercoaster of emotions and revelations.
The elation of seeing the Monkie Kid here in person was quickly replaced the devastating realisation that he wasn't aware of her predicament and that he wasn't the confident and competent hero that she'd been hoping for, proving to be an easy target for the Lady Bone Demon's particular brand of manipulation and cruelty.
Her fury had already been sparked by the Lady Bone Demon's "helpless, little girl" act but it was her desperate desire to be heard and to stop the Monkie Kid's suffering that really had her rattling the bars of her cage.
And for the first time, for just one brief moment, she thought she could actually feel the boundaries of her prison. She didn't know if it was the Lady Bone Demon's magic or her soul or what but it felt like there was something almost tangible that she could push against. Despite her best efforts though it wouldn't budge. And much to her dismay, as the Monkie Kid escaped, she found that her strength to keep pushing faltered.
But her attempts did not go unnoticed by her captor.
Once the lair had calmed down after the upset the Monkie Kid's visit had caused, she had found herself staring, once again, into the godforsaken furnace she was forced to look at day in and day out but her plans to lament and reflect upon what had happened were immediately abandoned as she noticed her reflection.
In another first, cold eyes seemed to pierce through her prison of bone and flesh and stare straight into the eyes of the ghost trapped within.
Her bravery momentarily left her as the Lady Bone Demon peered through the bars, all the vitriol she'd gotten so confident spitting into the silence forgotten as she froze in terrified apprehension as the Lady Bone Demon dissected her with her gaze.
She flinched as the Lady Bone Demon suddenly asked, "Why do you persist, child?"
She couldn't find her voice before the Lady Bone Demon continued, seemingly talking to herself as considered her, "To be so unaffected by my presence still... Perhaps I should have your souls record delivered to me, the details of your past lives could be revealing." She held up a hand a contemplated it, "As could this body's lineage."
Trembling, she let the flickers of injustice fuel her courage, "Unaffected? How- How could I be unaffected?" Her voice got stronger as she accused her, "You kidnapped me! You stole my body and then trapped me inside it! I can't do anything but watch you use my body so you can lie and hurt people! How could anyone be "unaffected" by that!"
The Lady Bone Demon was unmoved by her righteous fury, if anything she seemed quietly amused as she rebutted, "Trapped you? It is you that clings so desperately to this body, child. You are more than welcome to leave it if you so wish."
Anger fully ignited, she all but howled, "Liar! And this is my body! Mine! You're the one that's welcome to leave! Not me!"
The Lady Bone Demon sighed in disappointment, "I suppose I should have known better than to grant a child an audience and expect it to be worth my time. But you should know by now that no amount of tantrums or tears will sway me. This body was delivered to me by Destiny, I will not relinquish it."
Destiny.
Oh, how she loathed that word.
She was past the point of no return as she raged, "Destiny!? Destiny had nothing to do with it! You just attacked the first person you found because you didn't have a choice! But now you do! So why? Why not take someone else's body? Why not someone stronger? The Spider Queen is right there! Take hers!"
She was sure later she could come up with reasons why the Lady Bone Demon being even more powerful was a bad idea, and even later still she might feel something about her willingness to trade her freedom for another's, even if that other person was a villain themselves, but right now, she didn't care about any of that.
She wanted her body back. She wanted her freedom. And she wanted to be as far away from this nightmare as was physically possible.
Dismissively, the Lady Bone Demon responded, "Her majesty already has her part to play. And I have no need for another body - not when this one so adequately meets my needs."
Infuriated, she yelled, "How? How can some random kid you happened to find be what you need?" Unable to resist, she also added, "And you're, like, thousands of years old! Can't you see how weird and creepy it is that you're pretending to be twelve?"
The Lady Bone Demon didn't even have the good grace to look annoyed or offended at the slight, if anything she seemed tired of this conversation already, but with the air of a long suffering martyr she still deigned to answer her first question, "Your age is irrelevant. But I will admit, that I too was surprised at how perfect an anchor these bones are, one could almost believe that they had been tailor made for me."
Alarm and an uncomfortable feeling she couldn't put a name to were enough to cut through her anger, and much less demanding than she intended, she asked, "What are you talking about?"
The Lady Bone Demon waved her hand dismissively, "The nuances of my powers and their roots are beyond your understanding but know that I have rarely come across bones so capable of channelling my power." She smiled, "And I'm sure you'll agree that finding such a rarity while I was at my weakest would have been impossible had it not been Destiny's will."
She really did not like all this talk about her bones but she especially didn't like the suggestion that they were somehow uniquely compatible with the Lady Bone Demon's power or that she had always been destined to be part of her evil plans.
If she had been able to, she would have closed her eyes and covered her ears as she desperately denied, "No! None of this was supposed to happen! I- I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time! There's nothing special about me or my bones!"
The Lady Bone Demon was indifferent to her distress, ignoring her as she pondered out loud, "This body's role in Destiny is apparent but it is your soul that remains a mystery. The fact that it lingers, undiminished by my presence... Curious, certainly, but significant...?" She sighed as she turned away, "I suppose that remains to be seen. It is clear however that there is nothing to be gained from speaking to you."
A sharp stab of panic shot through her at the clear signal this conversation was at its end. Desperate not to be alone again, she cried out, "Wait! No! What- What do you mean? How is my soul curious? We- we could figure out if it's significant together!"
The Lady Bone Demon simply hummed, "Your purpose, should you have one, will be revealed to me when Destiny wills it. For now, I have wasted enough of my time on you."
She swore she could feel the walls of her prison close in on her as the Lady Bone Demon walked away from the furnace and all she could do was beg as fear began to consume her, "No! Please! Don't leave me here again! Please! I don't want to be alone anymore! I-" She began to sob, "I just want to go home. I want my māma. I want my bàba. Please. Please..."
But it didn't matter how much she cried, screamed or begged.
It all went unanswered.
---
Her conversation with the Lady Bone Demon had left her with a terrible crisis about bones and souls and her part to play in all of this but it also, unexpectedly, had given her hope that all wasn't lost. If the Lady Bone Demon could see she was here, then others might be able to as well.
She could still be saved, she was sure of it.
As long as she kept holding on then she could still be saved.
Whether she could saved in time however was another matter altogether.
The Lady Bone Demon was getting closer and closer to enacting her plan, securing two more of the artefacts she needed and leaving her with only the Monkey King's staff to acquire.
The spider demons had been put to work rebuilding the Spider Queen's mech but it was a job that the Lady Bone Demon had little time to supervise, not when the lantern was refusing to cooperate.
Each artefact had to be prepared for the ritual that would bring the Lady Bone Demon's mech, or the "Báigǔ Jījiǎ" as its architect liked to call it, into the world. And that largely seemed to involve taming the artefact's own magic and training it to work in tandem with the Lady Bone Demon's magic but none of them had caused as much trouble as the lantern.
And it brought her no end of delight to see the frustration it was causing the Lady Bone Demon.
Much less enjoyable however was the knowledge that whoever's lantern this was was now also the Lady Bone Demon's prisoner.
She knew little about him, the Lady Bone Demon never having deigned to visit him, but she had been horrified that he'd been left at the mercy of her terrifying thrall.
It had all but begged to be allowed to punish him for his disobedience and disloyalty. A permission the Lady Bone Demon had granted without any stipulations other than that he needed to be left with enough strength to finally heed his destiny when she called upon him.
It still made her feel sick remembering the twisted, manic grin on its face upon receiving its master's approval to torture this unknown man however it pleased. But she could only be grateful that she was spared from having to bear witness to her fellow prisoner's suffering, not even a whisper of what he might be going through reaching her ears.
She did her best not to think about him, focusing instead on his lantern and hoping against hope that the Lady Bone Demon wouldn't be able to wrestle it into submission. But, of course, eventually she did, laughing cruelly as she derided its owner for being so pitiful as she discovered the trick to the lantern's undoing.
It all seemed to spiral so quickly from there - the completion of the Spider Queen's mech, the living sacrifice of the four spider demons, attacking the Monkie Kid, tricking him into giving up the final artefact needed, forcing him and the Monkey King to flee as the Lady Bone Demon finally succeeded in completing the ritual and summoning the instrument of her Armageddon.
The Báigǔ Jījiǎ.
In that moment, all hope had been lost.
Not just for her, but for the world.
Ice and death would claim everything she'd ever known and everyone she'd ever loved while she was forced to watch, her face split in a manic grin and her eyes shining with rapture.
But the moment of reckoning hadn't quite arrived, the Lady Bone Demon apparently in no rush to usher in a new ice age when there were still loose ends to tie up.
It was then that she got her first look at the monkey demon that had dared to defy the Lady Bone Demon.
He didn't look like he had spent days at the mercy of the Lady Bone Demon's monstrous thrall but she knew better than anyone that looks could be deceiving and given his pristine appearance and the familiar motifs of his clothes, she was willing to bet he'd been made presentable for this audience with the Lady Bone Demon.
Whatever he had suffered though, it hadn't broken him and he spoke with no deference as he took stock of the situation, "The staff. The city. You've been busy."
The city...
It had largely been spared during the Lady Bone Demon's fight with the Monkie Kid but summoning the mech had resulted in a barrage of ice that had toppled buildings and destroyed crucial infrastructure, plunging it into chaos as the unnatural mist emanating from the mech flooded the streets.
So far, the Lady Bone Demon hadn't seemed at all concerned with the city or the millions of people currently trying to evacuate it and Bǎi Hé could only pray that one small mercy held out for her friends and family to make it to safety.
If they still could.
Her attention was quickly brought back to the conversation at hand however as the Lady Bone Demon cut straight to the chase, "Tell me. What madness overcame you, that you would forsake your oath? When did you decide to betray me?"
The demon barely got out a flippant, "Listen, Lady Bone Demon-" before the Lady Bone Demon's voice boomed, "Have you forgotten who I am? What I am?" Quieter but no less threatening, she continued, "I, who returned you to the mortal plane. All in exchange for such a little favor. That when the time came, you would free me, aid in my pursuit of equilibrium. But no. With the first breath of a new life, you rebelled against your fate. Fool."
There were implications of unholy powers in that statement that she never would have thought existed before this nightmare started but before she could even begin to process the sheer magnitude of what was being suggested, the demon was talking again, somehow managing a parody of a smile as he quickly deduced, "So. You want something."
Summoning a small artefact that fell into the demon's hands, the Lady Bone Demon magnanimously delivered her ultimatum, "I offer one more chance at redemption. Bring me the Monkey King and his protégé, and perhaps you will be worthy of my mercy."
The demon seemed more concerned with the object he was holding than the Lady Bone Demon's mercy however, asking uncertainly, "And this is...?"
"A compass, of sorts. No matter where they flee, this will find them."
There was a calculating look in his eyes as he considered the artefact and in that moment Bǎi Hé was convinced that he had no intentions whatsoever of following the Lady Bone Demon's orders. And it was all but confirmed as threw the compass up in the air and caught it before making to leave before he'd been dismissed, "Convenient. All righty, then. Seems like they've got a bit of headway, so-"
Unfortunately, if it was obvious to her, then it was definitely obvious to the Lady Bone Demon and Bǎi Hé shouted in alarm as chains rose from a swirling, blue abyss to shackle his wrists and ankles.
He resisted them as they tried to drag him down, his impudent facade finally faltering as he struggled, "What is this!?"
Bǎi Hé had thought her hopes had been completely decimated when the Báigǔ Jījiǎ had been summoned but it sparked something in her to see this demon so brazenly disrespect and defy the Lady Bone Demon in the face of impossible odds.
He'd been her prisoner, he'd been tortured by her thrall, he had seen what she'd done to the city and he was currently standing a top her mech and still he chose to rebel.
He had to believe there was still a chance to defeat the Lady Bone Demon.
And she was desperate to believe that he was right.
Almost as desperate as she was to see no more pain or suffering wrought by her hands.
So she thrashed against the confines of her cage but this time she didn't just push against the bars.
She pushed through them.
The Lady Bone Demon had been halfway through delivering her threat when Bǎi Hé forced herself to the forefront, "A reminder. It seems you cannot be trusted to willingly follow the path of destiny. But know this-"
The Lady Bone Demon's lapse in control lasted seconds and Bǎi Hé had been so shocked to have succeeded she never even had the chance to think about what to do next but the sudden shift in control was enough to cause the demon's chains slacken.
His head snapped up to look at her and time seemed to slow as their eyes locked.
He could see her.
Those four words repeated in her mind over and over again in a holy chorus.
She'd finally been seen. Someone finally knew she was here.
She could have sobbed in relief but her eyes had barely begun to water before she had been forced back into her cage, tears freezing and shattering before they could fall as the Lady Bone Demon stood tall, her expression tight with fury as spirits wailed around her.
The thrall had moved the second its master had lost control and at the same moment the Lady Bone Demon regained control and tightened the demon's chains, its hand made contact with the demon's head and violently forced him to the ground.
She cried out but no amount of pounding on the walls could break through her prison again as the Lady Bone Demon delivered the rest of her threat, venom dripping from every word, "If you betray me again, one misstep, one failure in any way, I will erase the very memory of you. Bring them to me, my champion."
In stark contrast, she called out to him, "No! Keep fighting her! Find a way to stop her! I'll fight her with you! Please! I need you!"
It was impossible for him to hear her but she couldn't bring herself to believe that her words weren't reaching him somehow.
She managed one last fervent scream as the thrall forced him into the pit of magic on the ground before the reality of the situation caught up to her.
She'd broken the Lady Bone Demon's control over her body.
And there was no one here to save her from the repercussions.
The thrall approached, its eyes shining with anguish as it tentatively reached out a hand, "My Lady...?"
The Lady Bone Demon took a deep breath, seemingly to centre herself, before shortly explaining, "A cautionary reminder that Destiny demands I remain vigilant."
Anything else she might have said to further explain herself or give away what punishment might await "destiny's cautionary reminder" was cut off by the mech underneath their feet suddenly rumbling loudly and as the Lady Bone Demon swung around to look at the staff, Bǎi Hé could see that it had started glowing brightly, the ice at its base cracking in response.
The Lady Bone Demon wasted no time making her way over to it and throwing up her hands to summon a seal in order to combat whatever it was the staff was doing.
Bǎi Hé would have loved to welcome the fact that the staff was apparently as fickle as the lantern and appeared to be threatening the integrity of the mech but unfortunately whatever spell the Lady Bone Demon was using to try and subdue the threat was causing the walls of her cage to come alive in a way that felt undeniably dangerous, like electricity was running through the bars.
More alarming still was that her body appeared to be literally cracking under the pressure.
Deep cracks were opening along her hands and running up her arms, briefly revealing the Lady Bone Demon's glowing, blue magic within her, before sealing themselves back together and leaving silver scars in their wake.
She could only scream in horror as her body cracked like a porcelain doll instead of bleeding and breaking like a human.
Thankfully, the staff's power was quelled before her body shattered under the strain but the relief that she'd survived was short lived as it became apparent that this wasn't going to be a one off event.
The staff hadn't been prepared for the ritual like all the other artefacts and the Lady Bone Demon needed to focus all of her efforts into stabilising it and that frequently meant she pushed her body to the limit when the staff inevitably responded poorly.
It never got less terrifying to witness the Lady Bone Demon risk destroying her body but it gave her ample motivation to continue to test the limits of her cage and the Lady Bone Demon's patience.
No consequences had come from her briefly snatching control away from her captor - the Lady Bone Demon refusing to even acknowledge her, let alone speak to her like she had when she'd first managed to make her presence felt - and the longer she was ignored, the bolder she became.
She pictured the monkey demon with his sharp smiles and his irreverent tone of voice and did her best to emulate it as she offered scathing commentary and mockery about destiny, powerful sticks and monkeys, all while pushing at the boundaries of her prison.
She had come to the conclusion however that it was likely that breaking out was dependent on the Lady Bone Demon being distracted, overextended or both. Theoretically, the staff's power flaring up was the perfect time to try and take control but the boundaries she could now find and touch so easily when all was calm became impossible to maintain contact with when they started getting spikey and sparky in response to the Lady Bone Demon struggling against the staff.
Trying to regain control over her body while it was being torn apart introduced her to pain the likes of which she'd never known and she was quickly dissuaded from even attempting it.
It didn't stop her from trying to break free the rest of the time but the Lady Bone Demon provided her with no opportunities to take advantage of, apparently taking her reminder to be vigilant extremely seriously.
Slowly but surely the staff seemed to fall in line but even though Bǎi Hé was sure it hadn't truly been conquered, the Lady Bone Demon eventually deemed it was stable enough that she could afford to turn her attention back to the capturing the Monkie Kid.
Which, of course, first meant locating her "champion" and punishing him for failing to do so already.
As the Lady Bone Demon had successfully incorporated more and more of the staff's power into the mech, the ice and mist that emanated from it had spread further and further. And through that mist the Lady Bone Demon could apparently channel her power and consciousness, meaning that Bǎi Hé was left totally in the dark about what had transpired between the Lady Bone Demon and the monkey demon.
A surge of power had flowed through the mist momentarily straining the limits of her prison but she hadn't the chance to take advantage of it, the thrall placing a hand on her shoulder at that precise moment and flooding her senses with whispering spirits that alarmed and disoriented her.
The thrall had immediately let go once the Lady Bone Demon had returned her consciousness to her body and Bǎi Hé had little time to recover from the ordeal before the Lady Bone Demon laughed manically, "The Samadhi Fire!" She turned to her thrall, "We must start preparing immediately! I have gifted my champion the power to release it but we must be ready to contain it!"
She had no idea what the Samadhi Fire was but it couldn't be good if the Lady Bone Demon was happy about it. Her demands for an explanation of what had just happened were, of course, ignored, but at very least she was reasonably confident her monkey demon was still alive, although she dreaded to think what the Lady Bone Demon's "gift" might have done to him.
The Lady Bone Demon calmed somewhat as she ensured that the mech was ready, but she remained unsettlingly giddy as she monologued, "For as long as time itself, I've had this recurring dream. At first, its meaning was unclear. Now, I know it was a premonition. The very moment I finally achieved my ambition: to perfect this imperfect world. The Samadhi Fire is the final piece of the game: A tool Destiny has gifted me to complete my work."
It felt increasingly hard to deny the influence of some higher power when everything the Lady Bone Demon needed for her plans always seemed to fall so perfectly in to place but as disturbing as her sudden doubts about whether destiny was real or not, she still found time to sneer at the thrall as it simpered, "Then allow me to retrieve it for you, my Lady."
The Lady Bone Demon dismissed its suggestion, "No need. Fate will deliver it in time."
The sudden appearance of the Monkey King at that precise moment should have been enthusiastically welcomed but his timing instead left her feeling inexplicably distraught.
Especially, when the Lady Bone Demon gleefully commented, "Ah, your timing couldn't be more perfect, Sun Wukong. It appears your quest to use the power of the Samadhi Fire to destroy me hasn't gone quite according to plan. Why else would you show up unarmed with no friends for backup?"
The Monkey King scowled, "I didn't need the Samadhi Fire to put you away last time. Figured I could make do without it."
Bǎi Hé couldn't help but furiously demand, "Then why haven't you already beaten her!? Why did you let things get this bad!?"
The Lady Bone Demon quirked a smile as she responded under her breath, "Why, indeed." Louder, she taunted, "Oh, my power has far surpassed what it was when we last met in battle. And now I sense you do not have what it takes to defeat me."
Her outrage towards the Monkey King was quickly directed back at the Lady Bone Demon for having the gall to finally acknowledge her now of all times.
She was so angry she almost missed the Monkey King's challenge, "That won't stop me from trying."
The thrall tittered in response, "A hero to the end. How delightful."
The Lady Bone Demon laughed, "No backup and no weapon. So your plan is to... fistfight a child?"
The Monkey King glowered at her, "We both know that's not what you are."
That was all the warning she got before he lunged at her.
---
Bǎi Hé hadn't thought it was possible for her terror to reach new heights but as terrifying and distressing as everything she'd experienced so far had been, never had she come face to face with someone actively trying to kill her and her fear was only exacerbated by the fact she was entirely powerless to stop him.
The Monkey King moved faster than she could keep up with and hit so hard that the Lady Bone Demon's barriers of ice and magic shattered almost immediately upon contact. Her body's limits were being tested even more than they had while the Lady Bone Demon had been trying to tame the staff and every blow brought with it new cracks that quickly turned to scars.
Never before had she ever wanted the Lady Bone Demon to win but if she lost here then the Monkey King would kill her.
And she didn't want to die.
Over and over again she pleaded with him not to kill her.
To realise she was here and find another way to stop the Lady Bone Demon.
In a brief reprieve, the Lady Bone Demon managed to bite out, "This body — it's too weak! I can't stop him."
Hysterical, she'd responded, "Of course, it's too weak! That's the Monkey King! No one can stop him! He's going to kill us!"
As if to prove her right, the Monkey King caught the Lady Bone Demon off guard, destroying her hastily raised shield and kicking her into the mech at break neck speed before pinning her by the throat.
Clearly, desperate herself, the Lady Bone tried, "Stop! Have you forgotten? Destroy me and you destroy the host. Have you become so desperate to end me that you would sacrifice this blameless, innocent child?"
Under normal circumstances, she would have seethed at being used as a get-out-free card but she could only be sickeningly grateful to have her attendance pointed out to the man currently trying to kill the demon possessing her.
For one brief moment, the Monkey King's face fell, remorse flitting across his features as he looked into her eyes, but it wasn't enough to stop him from strengthening his resolve and responding gravely, "You've given me no choice. All the time you spent locked away, you haven't changed a bit! I'm going to finish you, like I should have done a long time ago. I told you, you should've stayed buried!"
He'd seen her. He knew she was here.
And he was going to kill her anyway.
It felt like time had slowed as he brought his fist back to strike her and she could only stare up at him frozen.
The Lady Bone Demon was not so dazed however and throwing up a hand, she screamed, "I've come too far to let you ruin everything again!"
Bǎi Hé was snapped out of her terrified trance as she witnessed the Monkey King be violently stripped of his autonomy.
The Lady Bone Demon's manic laughter and the Monkie Kid's shouts of distress sounded far away as she struggled to make sense of the last thirty seconds of unimaginable horror.
She was alive.
But at what cost.
She regained enough of her wits to scream as the Monkey King was ordered to attack the two men that had apparently arrived mid-fight. She desperately wished she had been able to cover her eyes as one of them was taken down in a single devastating punch but at least she had been able to witness the miracle that took place as the Monkey King turned on his successor.
Inky shadows and purple, glowing magic stole the Monkie Kid away to safety.
It was him.
It was him! It had to be! It was the same magic as the lantern, she was sure of it! He had come back! And he was still fighting!
The Lady Bone Demon watched the demon's magic dissipate before standing atop her mech and glancing over to see that her thrall had vanished before huffing in amusement, "So desperate to defy his fate, and yet his every action only ensures its realisation. I almost pity him."
She felt the first sparks of anger at the disregard the Lady Bone Demon held towards her hero but they were snuffed out as she flinched as the Monkey King landed forcefully in front of her, instantly falling to one knee and bowing his head as he awaited orders.
The Lady Bone Demon's smile was sickeningly pleased with the display but she didn't waste time relishing in her victory, instead she closed her eyes and snapped them open again minutes later when she had found her missing prize and this time she apparently couldn't resist accompanying her champion in person so that she could witness him claim the Samadhi Fire in her name.
Bǎi Hé had zero clue what the deal was with this fire and how it was now in one of the Monkie Kid's but it was a deeply disturbing flame to even catch a glimpse of and she was both in awe and a little terrified of this woman that was able to keep it contained, even while the Lady Bone Demon tried to pry it from her after imprisoning her in the mech's heart.
How long could she hold out though?
Long enough for one last ditch effort from a ragtag team of heroes to save the day apparently!
And nothing gave her more hope at the end of the world than seeing the monkey demon that was leading the way.
Still fighting, still flippant, and ready to risk it all to give the Monkie Kid the opportunity he needed to reclaim his staff.
She couldn't believe that anyone was brave enough to go toe-to-toe with the Monkey King, especially not when he had been augmented with the Lady Bone Demon's power, but with a grimace of a smile he threw himself in harm's way to protect the Monkie Kid.
She desperately wanted to watch him fight but her eyes were focused on the Monkie Kid's significantly less impressive efforts to pull the staff from the ice.
But while the Lady Bone Demon taunted him, she could feel the way she was struggling to keep hold of her tenuous control, the cracks on her body and the dangerous, electric feel of her cage a clear indicator the Lady Bone Demon was stretching herself too thin.
She could help.
If she could find the courage to push against the bars she could steal control for long enough to give them the advantage. This was it. This was the final stand. She had to do everything she could. It would only hurt for a moment. Whatever future awaited her if the Lady Bone Demon won was worse than the pain of her body being broken over and over again. She had to do it. She had to...
She tried. She really did. But even the barest hint of the agony that awaited her stopped her from committing.
That was until her hero fell.
Until she saw his broken body tossed to the ground and stepped over as if he meant nothing.
She screamed in agony as she grabbed the bars of her cage and pushed with everything she had.
He hadn't given in. No matter how much it had hurt. No matter how much was at risk. He had fought. And he had kept fighting.
She was going to do the same.
And she knew she'd succeeded when her screams actually escaped her mouth.
It was only for a split second but it turned out to more than enough because when she regained her bearings after being forcibly thrown back into her cage it was to the sight of the Monkey King holding the staff side-by-side with the Monkie Kid, his golden eyes free of the cold, dead blankness that had consumed them while under the Lady Bone Demon's control.
The Lady Bone Demon screamed in fury but Bǎi Hé almost couldn't hear it - all her attention focused on the fact that her hero had struggled to his feet.
He was still alive.
Her elation was short lived because before she even knew what was happening she'd been forced back into the driver's seat and suddenly she was falling.
The fact that she was falling was a distant concern compared to the fact she couldn't seem to breathe however. She didn't even register the fact the falling had stopped, just that someone was close enough to claw at as she desperately tried to communicate that something was wrong.
A magic completely unlike the Lady Bone Demon's sunk into her body, snaking around her heart, lungs, throat and nose and carefully and rhythmically constricting them, forcing them to start circulating oxygen around her body again.
Darkness began creeping along the edges of her vision, her awareness of the world quickly slipping away. She had no idea that she was now falling for a second time, the only thought that repeated sluggishly through her mind was that she was so unbearably cold.
it was only when an attempt was made to put her down that she startled and managed to direct bleary, unseeing eyes up towards the face of her saviour.
Her hand was gripping the front of their shirt, and as they tried to remove it, she quietly choked out a small, incoherent sound.
"You gotta let go, kid."
She forced a strangled, hoarse whisper past her lips, "C-c... old..."
There was a pause and then more magic was flooding through her, this time wrapping around her bones and insulating her body from the cold emanating from them. As it did so, she saw a glowing, purple silhouette of her hero, with three strange bumps on either side of their head where their ears should be.
She didn't fight it when her hand was pulled away and placed on her chest, nor did she fight it when a hand covered her eyes and a strange darkness pulled her under, but before she lost consciousness she could have sworn she heard her hero say, "We'll take it from here, kid. One way or another, this nightmare will be over soon. I promise."
Summary: MK is expecting miracles while Tang gets a rude awakening about what others think of his new relationship.
Additional Tags: Slice of Life, Pre-Canon, Pigsy's Grandmother is called Xiùyīng
CW: Themes of racism and discrimination, discrimination towards an interracial couple
Author Note: For this chapter, text that is scored out (example) means that Tang can't understand the language being spoken.
Link to AO3 Version
Chapter Navigation: First | Prev | Next
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In the week or so since their trip to the museum, Tang and MK had almost simultaneously developed a new habit of silently judging any humans that walked into the restaurant, although he would argue that his side-eyeing was much more subtle than MK's outright staring.
Pigsy disagreed and wasn't happy with either of them for suddenly being so protective - MK usually got off lightly with a gently chiding call of his name but he normally got a glare followed by either a smack to the arm or something thrown at him when no one was looking.
Pigsy hadn't dragged his feet in talking to MK about what it meant that his father was a demon, much to Xiùyīng's obvious displeasure, but Tang had no idea how well that conversation had gone or how in depth it had been - the most Pigsy would tell him was that MK had been a "little upset" but he seemed to have understood that some humans just didn't like demons even if he was having a hard time wrapping his head around why.
Thus began MK, not so subtly, peeking his head out from the staff door whenever he escaped his grandmother's watchful eye, ready to defend Pigsy's honour at the slightest provocation. Such righteousness and bravery tended to disappear whenever Pigsy caught sight of him but any tactical retreats were always temporary and he'd be back only minutes later.
The restaurant had been particularly quiet today and so MK had been allowed to sit in one of the booths and draw, with the caveat that he was only allowed to stay there if he didn't glare at people. Xiùyīng had been with him initially but she'd disappeared upstairs at some point and hadn't come back down. When the last customer had been seen out the door and the restaurant closed for the mid-day break, Pigsy had sighed and set off to go check on her, confident that she'd either fallen asleep or gotten distracted.
Well used to these very short baby sitting assignments, Tang had slipped into the seat across from MK to ask to see what he'd drawn. There was a part of him that wanted to take advantage of the moment alone on how the "demon talk" had gone but there was no way that he wouldn't get caught red handed. And, you know, it sort of wasn't a good look interrogating children.
MK had been uncharacteristically lacklustre as he showed him his newest drawings but eventually, out of nowhere, he'd hit him with, "Has the moo-seum got human bad guys yet?"
Admittedly, it took him a moment to get with the programme after that left of field question but he laughed a little awkwardly as he explained, "They can't change things that fast, MK."
MK frowned at him, "Why?"
Sparing him the boring and complicated details of bureaucracy and logistics, he kept it simple with, "Well, they'd need to move a lot of stuff about and have someone make the new displays - all that can take a long time."
Brow furrowing, MK asked, "How long?"
Not wanting to get his hopes up, he decided to be honest, "It's hard to say but it won't be any time soon."
If ever.
MK didn't look happy with this answer, "Can't you make them go faster?"
It was very cute that he thought that a lowly tour guide held any power in this situation but unfortunately that wasn't the way the world worked, he shook his head, "I'm afraid not."
"Why?"
The real answer was that it was way, way above his pay grade but he rather liked MK thinking he was someone of importance and so he went with, "It's not just up to me, I'm afraid. You know that I'd have it done in a heartbeat if it was! But lots of people need to do their part and you can't rush them - you wouldn't want artists making mistakes or the construction workers getting hurt because they went too fast now, would you?"
Face full of consternation, MK reluctantly agreed but he wasn't quite ready to let it go, "But they are working on it, right?"
There was no force on earth that could have gotten him to tell him the truth in that moment and he was quick to reassure him, "Of course they are! And I'll keep an eye on things, alright? You'll be the first person I tell when the new exhibit is ready!"
This seemed to perk MK back up a little, "You promise?"
Feeling exceptionally sleazy, he put a hand on his heart, "I promise you'll be the first to know."
MK, bless him, did not question everything that was left out of the wording of that promise and started telling him exactly what kind of human bad guy stories that he had to make sure were included in the revamped exhibition, oblivious to the fact Tang was banking on him forgetting all about it.
It wasn't that he didn't plan to submit some feedback or make some suggestions but realistically he knew it was exceptionally unlikely that the higher ups were going to take them on board - especially when they related to their most popular exhibit.
But there was no need to go upsetting MK by telling him that. No a little, white lie to keep him happy was the right course of action, or at the very least the easiest course of action.
If only appeasing his boyfriend, Yángjiǎo, on the issue could have been just as easy.
Yángjiǎo was a demon himself, although in the right outfit he could probably pass for a human wearing a bit too much fake tan - his small horns and tail easily hidden by a hat and a long coat - and he had been extremely invested in MK's call for better representation.
Tang had been more than a little horrified when he had immediately started talking about petitions and protests and how the Celestial exhibit was only the start! How many pictures in their art gallery had been painted by demons? Where were the exhibits showcasing demon history and culture? Where was the acknowledgment of their contributions to the city? The country? The world?
He hadn't even posed the question to the museum yet and Yángjiǎo was already planning a hostile takeover!
It wasn't that Yángjiǎo didn't make some good points and they could absolutely include suggestions for demon artists and the rest of it in their feedback to the museum but Tang hadn't been prepared for such immediate enthusiasm, nor was he ready to go to arms before they'd even attempted to make change through the proper channels.
Yángjiǎo had been very put out by his efforts to temper his grand ambitions, arguing, no doubt correctly, that Tang putting a slip in the suggestion box wasn't going to bring about change - they needed to rally people to the cause and worst of all, he wanted Tang to be the face of that effort.
Tang was no leader and, if he was being brutally honest, not particularly brave either. He wanted an easy life, not to pick a fight with his employers or champion a cause he'd only really just learnt about. He could certainly be persuaded to help in small, non confrontational ways and lend his, admittedly limited, knowledge of the inner workings of the museum but that was his limit.
He and Yángjiǎo had come to a somewhat tenuous understanding on that but Yángjiǎo wasn't letting him get away with slacking off on doing his part. Which was apparently writing a comprehensive paper to be submitted to the museum detailing what was wrong with current exhibits and what changes they'd like to see and why.
He was way in over his head but Yángjiǎo wouldn't accept his counteroffer of proofreading whatever he wrote instead, claiming that he didn't have nearly Tang's skill for writing. And while he was a weak man for some flattery, he literally didn't know what he was supposed to write!
It was an ongoing issue but he was trying to figure it out. The least he could do was research some more human bad guy stories that might make for some good additions to the exhibit. And even if none of those ideas were implemented then it still wouldn't be a total loss because he could still tell the stories to MK and if he was feeling particularly brave he could maybe slip some of them into his tours.
---
After much needling from Yángjiǎo, Tang was finally taking him to Pigsy's Noodles. As he'd tried to explain, it wasn't a reflection on Yángjiǎo that he'd been so reluctant to introduce him to Pigsy, but Pigsy just had so much dirt on him at this point that introducing anyone to him was an exercise in humility.
But while that was absolutely true and he was dreading what Pigsy might do or say to embarrass him, it might not have been the only reason he'd been putting it off. There was no way he was going to tell Yángjiǎo but Pigsy had gotten on extremely well with his ex and he knew that Mǐnyǒng was the impossible standard that Yángjiǎo was going to be measured against.
Obviously, Tang liked Yángjiǎo a lot but... well, he was no Mǐnyǒng. And he still wasn't ready to hear Pigsy that.
But it was clear that Yángjiǎo was getting a bit down, even a little self-conscious, at him continuously brushing him off however and so today the fabled meeting was finally going to take place. It was something of an impromptu decision so he couldn't plead with Pigsy before hand to be nice and though he had texted him there was no guarantee he would see it before they got there.
He was noticeably nervous about it as they walked hand in hand to the restaurant and inevitably he was called out on it as Yángjiǎo half-seriously complained, "Babe, you being nervous is making me nervous! What do you think this guy is going to do? I thought he was like one of your best friends or something."
He groaned, "That's the problem! He knows too much! You'll know all my darkest secrets before we've even finished eating!"
Yángjiǎo snorted in amusement, "You're so dramatic. "Darkest secrets". As if! Embarrassing secrets maybe and I already know plenty of them. Hey! Maybe we can compare notes - trade one secret for another!"
Yángjiǎo did nothing but laugh at his mortified expression and continue to tease him as he begged to be left with some dignity.
It was only when they were a couple of minutes away that he felt the need to tentatively admit, "Ok, so there maybe is one thing I want to warn you about... Don't take it too personally if Pigsy is a bit short with you or isn't super chatty. He's been really stressed out over MK starting summer school and so just don't, y'know..."
He hesitated but Yángjiǎo helpfully offered, "Start pushing buttons?"
He smiled a little sheepishly but Yángjiǎo wasn't offended, kissing the back of hand before reassuring him, "I'll be on my best behaviour. No picking fights, I promise."
He couldn't help but sigh in relief, much to Yángjiǎo's bemusement.
Yángjiǎo was very opinionated about most things and relished a good opportunity to argue his point and he just couldn't see that going down well with Pigsy, especially if Pigsy was already in a bad mood.
Pigsy was, thankfully, not in a bad mood, but, as was typical when he caught a glance of him walking through the door, he didn't stop chopping vegetables and forewent any greeting to get straight to the point. Gruffly, he asked, "I thought you had a date?"
Tang laughed a little nervously, "I do. Just had a last minute change of venue, is all."
Pigsy looked over properly and did a small double take as he caught sight of Yángjiǎo.
Yángjiǎo grinned, "Jiànshú, yìxiōng! I thought it was high time I tried these legendary noodles I've heard so much about!"
That seemed to snap Pigsy out of his surprised stupor and he put down his knife before wiping his hands on a towel and coming over for proper introductions. He looked strangely wary as he asked, "You're Yángjiǎo?"
Yángjiǎo knocked on one of his horns lightly, a polite gesture that Tang had learnt was equivalent to bowing or shaking someone's hands, "Call me Tóng and what should I call you?"
Pigsy knocked on the counter, "Pigsy."
Yángjiǎo's brow furrowed, "Really?"
A touch of warning in his voice Pigsy responded, "Really."
Yángjiǎo opened his mouth to say something before glancing at Tang and apparently thinking better of it. Instead he held his hands up and very agreeably offered, "Right, right, of course. Bàoqiàn, yìxiōng." He smiled a little contritely, "My sister is always telling me off for acting too familiar with people I've just met. Shījìng."
Tang was lost on what had just happened and more than a little anxious that Pigsy did not seem immediately thrilled about Yángjiǎo. Something he was sure Pigsy picked up because after glancing at him, he sighed and seemed to make more of an effort to be friendlier, "Ráoshù. So, Tang tells me you think you can handle your spice then?"
His shoulders sagged in relief as Yángjiǎo puffed up proudly and started expounding his amazing spice tolerance and Pigsy started asking him what kind of food he liked. As was typical, it wasn't long before takeaway orders were coming in and Pigsy waved them over to a booth so he could deal with them.
He had assumed he would just take his normal seat at the bar but he supposed the two of them could be a little too distracting sat there so he didn't think too much of it. Once they were sat down and Pigsy was busy cooking, he couldn't help but lower his voice and ask, "What was with the whole name thing?"
Yángjiǎo looked a little awkward as he half explained, "Ah, yeah, sorry about that - was a bit tense for a moment there, huh? Just a demon thing - don't worry about it. We're all good."
Too curious not to ask, he pushed, "Yeah but what was it about? You gave him a different name and were surprised when he wanted to be called Pigsy."
Yángjiǎo seemed to debate with himself for a moment before resigning himself to explaining, "Well, "Yángjiǎo" is like my Mandarin name, y'know? My actual name is Tóngjiǎoyāomó but some, er, people tend to struggle with the pronunciation. Most demons in the city have more than one name."
He'd had absolutely no idea and he said as much before asking what language his actual name was in because he was sure it wasn't Megapolisese either.
And it wasn't, apparently it was Jiǎoyǔ, the mother tongue of the Jiǎorén which was the type of demon Yángjiǎo was. It was pretty common for demons in Megapolis of any type to speak at least a little Jiǎoyǔ though, although Yángjiǎo was reluctant to really explain why. Yángjiǎo was quick to change the topic by telling him that he wouldn't be surprised if Pigsy was quadrilingual - it really depended on whether the type of demon that he was still had its own language or not and if he knew it.
He was already impressed even if Pigsy could only speak three languages! He'd could technically speak two, Mandarin and his own city language, but he had no real talent for languages - he'd lived in Megapolis for four years now and had barely learnt a word of Megapolisese.
He found he wasn't surprised that Pigsy hadn't shared his real name with Yángjiǎo, even without Yángjiǎo telling him that names tended to be a big deal for demons, Pigsy was a pretty private person and he didn't have a lot of trust in strangers. He wondered if he would tell him what it was if he asked, he had his doubts about his odds of pronouncing it however, he was struggling enough with the shortened version of Yángjiǎo's name.
Thankfully, he seemed to find his failed attempts funny rather than offensive.
Eventually, Pigsy came over for a bowl for each of them and waited for Yángjiǎo's judgement on whether it was spicy enough. Pigsy raised an eyebrow when he was told it could be hotter but Yángjiǎo was quick to say no when he offered to rectify that, looking relieved when Pigsy didn't insist and left them to eat.
At Tang's teasing, Yángjiǎo defended himself by saying that while he could handle way hotter, he actually wanted to be able to taste the noodles that Tang was always raving about and he, of course, conceded that they were in fact delicious, much to Tang's smug satisfaction.
Pigsy couldn't really spare much time to talk to them but he did bring them the odd side dish for them to try, which was greatly appreciated by both of them even if Yángjiǎo was slowly becoming worried they'd be rolling out of here later.
It was all going pretty well but he couldn't help but notice that Pigsy kept throwing pensive looks towards the staff door and he couldn't figure out why. MK was away at school today so it couldn't be him... maybe he had someone in doing repairs in the back? Although, it felt unlikely he wouldn't have mentioned that to him. He supposed Xiùyīng might be in but he's not sure why that would be causing Pigsy to look so worried...
Unfortunately, he was about to find out.
They'd more or less finished their meals when Xiùyīng walked through the staff door and she spotted him and Yángjiǎo almost immediately, dashing any hopes that Pigsy might have had from distracting her. He'd, of course, been oblivious to the danger and had happily greeted her when she came over to say hello.
She smiled at him, "I didn't think we'd see you today, Mr. Tang. How are you doing? Who's your friend?"
He'd smiled back, ready to introduce his new boyfriend, when he caught sight of Pigsy behind Xiùyīng's back desperately trying to communicate not to do that but either Yángjiǎo didn't see it or didn't care for it because he immediately placed his hand on top of Tang's and grinned, "I'm the new boyfriend, ma'am. Yángjiǎo, it's a pleasure to meet you."
Pigsy buried his head in his hands in despair.
Xiùyīng seemed to freeze, her face falling before she forced it into a painfully forced polite expression, "I see."
Yángjiǎo's voice was overly polite but his smile was sharp as he's asked, "Something wrong, ma'am?"
He tried to subtly take his hand back but Yángjiǎo wouldn't let him and he was forced to sit there awkwardly as Xiùyīng stared at Yángjiǎo with a cold fury in her eyes before addressing Tang cordially, "Sorry, I can't stay and chat. MK's upstairs. You know how it is."
Feeling immensely uncomfortable, he awkwardly responded, "Uh, yeah, of course. Tell him I said hi."
Xiùyīng offered him a tight smile before turning on her heel and marching towards the staff door, subtly gesturing to Pigsy that she wanted to speak with him privately while she went. She stopped short as Pigsy firmly shook his head but after a short glaring match, Xiùyīng grunted angrily before pushing through the door and disappearing from sight.
It was an event that, thankfully, seemed to have gone largely unnoticed by the rest of the restaurant's customers and yet Tang could still feel their eyes on him and his skin prickled with their judgement. He tore his hand away from Yángjiǎo and the snapping emotions in his chest made his tone sharp, "Why did you do that?"
Unapologetic, Yángjiǎo countered, "What? Tell the truth?"
He gestured agitatedly as he accessed, "You were trying to get a rise out of her!"
Annoyed, Yángjiǎo retorted, "Why are you mad at me? She's the one in the wrong here. I'm not going to lie just to appease some old-fashioned granny."
Tang wasn't naïve enough or ignorant enough not to know that some people frowned upon human-demon relationships but he hadn't really been prepared to get first hand experience of that disapproval, especially not from some he knew, and that he got on relatively well with. In the grand scheme of things, it had been a pretty mild reaction but it was enough to make him feel exceptionally uneasy about what a long term relationship with Yángjiǎo might entail.
But he did his best to come back to the present as he ran a hand through his hair. He didn't love how Yángjiǎo had handled the situation but ultimately he hadn't actually done anything wrong, "I'm not mad at you. Sorry, that just... really caught me off guard."
Yángjiǎo held onto his ire for a moment longer before sighing and offering him a small smile, "Alright, you get a pass this time but next time we have to be a united front - you can't be cowed into pretending we're just friends just because someone looks at you funny."
Next time.
Just the thought of it filled him with dread but it was something he could freak out about later - no need to draw more attention to himself by making a scene. So he nodded, "Right, of course, yes. Sorry about that, I... I just sort of panicked."
Yángjiǎo waved his apology away, "Ah, don't sweat it. It was probably just the shock of it being someone you know." He glanced towards the kitchen, "Would have been nice if your friend had warned you though."
It certainly would have been but it was hard to be angry about it when Pigsy looked so genuinely remorseful. And if he hadn't been up to his eyeballs in food orders then he probably would have already come over and tried to apologise for his grandmother's behaviour. He sent Pigsy what he hoped was a reassuring smile before turning back to Yángjiǎo, "He would have if he'd known we were coming. I'll talk to him about it later."
Yángjiǎo hummed, sounding somewhat doubtful, in response but thankfully he didn't comment any further as he looked down at his watch, "Hey, I know we'll be a bit early but you want to start heading to the cinema now? We can take the scenic route and work off all this food."
Keen to get out of here and escape the invisible eyes he could feel, he nodded and stood up, "You mind tidying up the table while I go pay?"
Yángjiǎo was already stacking dishes as he responded, "I'm on it, babe."
He made his way to the counter, feeling more than a little awkward as Pigsy urgently finished up what he was doing to meet him there, his voice was low as he asked, "What did she say?"
It made sense that he hadn't been able to catch every word Xiùyīng had said, her initial greeting may have been loud but she had been uncharacteristically quiet in volume at the relationship reveal. He shrugged uncomfortable, "Not much, really. Just made her excuses to leave."
Pigsy's snout wrinkled unhappily, an annoyed huff escaping him, before he clocked Tang taking out his card to pay, and a little alarmed he told him, "You don't have to go because of her. She won't be back down."
He waved his hands nervously in front of him, "Oh, no! We were not leaving because- We're going to see that new movie that just came out, the Citadel. Remember I was telling you about it?"
Pigsy dragged a hand down the side of his face, "Right, right, you did tell me that's what you were doing today. Ok, just- just hold on a sec." He rang up his order, excluding all the additional sides that he had brought them over, and left Tang to pay while he quickly went around the kitchen and packaged up a to-go bag.
Yángjiǎo came and stood by his side, raising an eyebrow at the speed Pigsy was putting things together and quietly asked Tang, "Everything alright?"
He nodded a little unsurely, "I think so?" Louder, he said, "Uh, Pigsy, what are you-?"
He was cut off as a bag of food was placed on the counter and pushed towards them with a, "Here. Take this for later."
Tang was not someone that often turned down food and it physically pained him to point out, "I, uh, don't think the cinema will let's us take this in with us..." The way Pigsy's face fell had him immediately reaching for the bag and pulling it over to him, "But we'll figure something out! You know what? We probably even have time to swing by mine and drop it off!"
At his glance, Yángjiǎo nodded and added, "Yeah, totally! Don't worry, we won't let food this good go to waste!"
Their responses did nothing to wipe the shame from Pigsy's face and after a moment he bowed his head, "I'm so sorry for my grandma's behaviour. Please don't let her keep you from coming back. She won't bother you again. I promise."
He looked so genuinely upset that Tang couldn't help but try to reassure him, "Hey, it's ok. She's old, I get it. The horror stories I could tell you about my grandmother!"
Yángjiǎo sounded equally reassuring, "Fàngsōng, yìxiōng. Wǒ hěn qīngchu nǐ de zhòngdàn. The food more than made up for that one little hiccup. We're all good."
Pigsy nodded, looking tired and miserable, "Glad she hasn't completely ruined your date, at least." He took a deep breath and made an effort to perk up a little, "Go and enjoy your movie." He addressed Tang, "I'll catch up with you next time you're in, alright?"
"Yeah, of course!" He then grimaced slightly, "Good luck with..."
He sighed, "She's nothing I can't handle. Go on and get out of here."
They said their goodbyes, Pigsy and Yángjiǎo politely telling each other that it was nice meeting each other and then they were out the door.
Where Yángjiǎo offered him his hand.
He wasn't proud to admit that he hesitated to take it, time seeming to slow as he stared at the hand he held without any fear before today.
He shook himself out of it and took his hand.
In the two months they'd been seeing each other, that was the first time anyone had expressed any disapproval, and it had been an old woman glaring at them, hardly reason to start fearing the worst. He was being silly, most people wouldn't even bat an eye at them holding hands, no one was staring at them, his imagination was just trying to get the better of them.
Nothing had changed and he wasn't going to let go of Yángjiǎo's hand until he had to.
No matter how self-conscious he now felt about it.
Have an old WIP that I rediscovered the other day. I actually really like it and would like to finish it but right now Silksong is taking up most my free time 😅
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Táng Sānzàng was a serious, devout man, dedicated to his faith and his mission and while that made him an ideal candidate to retrieve the Buddha's scripture, it also meant he could be a real stick in the mud, fun apparently not conducive to monkhood. His idea of a good time was sitting still and breathing, and if he was feeling particularly adventurous he might quietly repeat a mantra to himself while he did it.
And as someone that had spent five hundred years, unable to do much more than stay still, breathe and mutter to themselves, Wukong couldn't see the appeal.
Even worse than being totally boring however was, that as one might imagine, their master did not often approve of the antics of his demonic students. Even when Wukong was saving his life, he could still find ways to admonish him for it. Almost everything he did or said apparently "not conducive to achieving enlightenment".
For example, at the first hint that his students were bonding over tales of "wrongdoing", he lectured them on how such delinquent behaviour was behind them and that they shouldn't be revelling in their chequered pasts. Often going on to tell his own Buddha approved tales, in the hopes of guiding them down the right path.
It made for such boring travel conversation that Wukong almost prayed for a demon to attack them just so he didn't have to listen to it. The ever present weight of the circlet however ensured that praying was all he could do and he could only be glad at least his thoughts were safe from punishment.
But something had started to change in the last few months and for whatever reason their master had just taken to ignoring them when they started talking amongst themselves, only his face occasionally giving away how displeased he was with what he was hearing.
Far be it for Wukong to look a gift horse in the mouth but he couldn't shake the lingering fear he was being tested and his failings were being noted. He had privately discussed it with Shā Wùjìng when they had both been sent out to look for food but his fellow companion hadn't shared his concerns.
"Our master is not cruel. He would not set you up for failure. I don't know what's prompted the sudden leniency but he must have his reasons. And I believe they will be just."
Shā Wùjìng was an exceptionally reasonable man and his presence brought no end of comfort to him. So, he decided to have faith in his words, he did seem to understand their master better than the rest of them after all.
But Wukong was nothing if not someone that liked to test limits and boundaries and increasingly he chose to share stories he knew his master would vehemently disapprove of, making sure to go into as graphic, bloody detail as possible. His master seemed to have cottoned on quickly that he was trying to get a rise from him however and refused to respond.
Really, his master should've known better than to issue a challenge like that.
But to his great surprise it wasn't their master that broke first, it was Shā Wùjìng, interrupting a particularly gruesome description to decry, "Enough! I don't want to hear any more! Your stories used to be filled with mischief and wonder and now they only serve to make us all sick! This journey is long and difficult enough without you trying to make us all miserable!"
Zhū Bājiè, who had been cringing throughout the tale while clearly trying to pretend he wasn't, leapt at the opportunity to complain, "Yeah! Your stories have always been bad but you've taken them to a whole new level! And for what? Do you think we're impressed by how terrible a person you are?"
Even Áo Liè had managed to open a sleepy eye to shoot him an unimpressed look.
He had been taken aback by such heartfelt accusations. Hurt, confusion and guilt manifested in offence and anger however and he had mocked them all viciously for being so pathetic before stomping away from them, unable to stand to be there for one moment longer.
He seethed. It wasn't him that was the problem, it wasn't him that made this journey so miserable. It was their fault for being so sensitive. It was their master's fault for not responding to his stories like he was supposed to, if he had then no-one would have gotten upset with him!
His anger had driven him away but it was his pride that refused to let him go back. It didn't matter how much he didn't want to be on his own while everyone else was together, going back meant admitting he had been in the wrong when he hadn't been.
He didn't let his surprise show when his master appeared at the base of the tree he was currently sitting in, instead he huffed and turned his head away. Bringing the lecture to him for change. Great.
He heard him sigh before addressing him, "Monkey, if you come back and apologise-"
He whipped around, "Apologise!? Why should I apologise? This is all your fault!"
His master's face was full of disapproval and Wukong recognised the way he slowly brought his hands up in a gesture that he was all to familiar with. He all but fell out of the tree as he brought a preemptive hand to his head and begged, "No! Don't! Please! I'm sorry!"
For one terrible moment, all Sānzàng did was hold his position but with another small sigh he brought his hands down to side. The relief was enough to override the shame as he fell to his knees in gratitude.
"Let us start again. Monkey, if you were to apologise to your fellow students and promise to no longer tell such upsetting stories, I am sure they would be forgiving."
He looked up at him warily, "You just want me to apologise to the others…?"
"I would, of course, like an apology as well but it would mean little if you do not truly feel any remorse. You were deliberately trying to upset me, not the others, and I believe you do feel at least some regret for upsetting them."
He looked away as his tail swayed agitatedly behind him. They shouldn't have been so squeamish in the first place. Internally he scoffed that despite Zhū Bājiè's and Shā Wùjìng's demonic bodies, their souls were still that of sensitive Celestials. And the "civilised" dragon clans were no better.
But still… They were his prisoners-in-arms, they largely made for pleasant company, to have them turn on him and side with Sānzàng would make this whole trip all the more unpleasant.
Sānzàng continued, "Regardless of whether it was your intention to upset them or not there is no denying that you have. And if you regret this then you should apologise and commit yourself to avoid doing so again."
So I've got a half-formed idea for a concept that takes place millennia after the events of LMK.
The basic premise is that Mac and Wukong at some point after LMK become one with their "elements" - Mac exists purely as a shadow and Wukong as a stone statue. The vital difference is that for the latter it was a choice.
Wukong's mind is still very much in tact and he is more or less in a state of intense mediation for the entire time and so should he ever be awakened he'll be fully cognisant and largely unchanged. Why did he become a rock? Probably either an end of the world sacrifice or time had taken it's toll.
Macaque on the other hand either spent too much time in the shadows and lost himself and/or time had also taken it's toll, but lacking Wukong's experience with spiritual enlightenment meant that this was a steady decline. I'm inclined to believe that either scenario took place after Wukong made his choice.
This Macaque is little more than a vaguely sentient shadow - flitting across the realms with no real consciousness and no real ability to affect the physical realm beyond alarming the odd person at the uncanny shadow moving on it's own, or maybe the odd person tries to follow him now and then too.
I haven't really thought too much beyond that, I honestly just like the idea of shadow Mac, as some of you may well know, but if I was to try and make a plot out of that idea then it would probably start with someone waking Wukong up because the world or the universe is in some sort of danger and our new protagonist needs his help.
I think during the ensuing adventure either Mac is subconsciously drawn to Wukong or Wukong (& co.) just happen to come across Mac drifting as a shadow. There is some temptation to have Wukong not immediately know what's happened and think Mac is up to something but I think he clocks on pretty quickly and is pained by the realisation.
Mac joins the team on their adventure as a sort of unofficial member - either because he's naturally drawn to Wukong, because Wukong can use his magic to coax him along, or because for some inexplicable reason he's heading the same way they are.
I would probably entertain the idea that as they go, Mac seems to gain a little bit more sentience, seemingly responding to things the team say or do, albeit not necessarily in ways they can understand.
The team, perhaps new reincarnations of the LMK crew, don't really get what the deal with this shadow is but it seems important to Wukong and sometimes they even catch him talking to it, or trying to coax it into responding to his own shadow or his magic. They just sort of roll with it.
I honestly don't know how I would conclude this story, partly because I don't these new characters or what the threat they're trying to stop is, but I don't think I would want a Mac that is fully restored to his original form and consciousness, although perhaps his shadow does start to look a little more monkey and starts to actually respond in ways that can sort of be understood.
Maybe, while some sort of semi-aware, he and Wukong travel together for a bit after saving the world and then Wukong decides it's time to go back to hibernating until the next apocalypse he needs to stop? But maybe this time he finds away for his and Mac's spirits to stay connected while he's out of commission?
I think I would want it to be somewhat bittersweet, for there to be loss and acceptance and a new sort of existence.
That being said, that's just me! If there's any concepts in here that you like the sound of then feel free to use them however you like!
Has anyone capitalised on how fitting so many of Marceline's songs from Adventure Time are for Macaque (and his relationship with Wukong)?
Some excerpts from some of her songs:
I'm Just Your Problem
Sorry I don't treat you like you're perfect,
Like all your little loyal subjects do
...
It's like I'm not even a person, am I?
I'm just your problem
...
Well, I shouldn't have to justify what I do
I shouldn't have to prove anything to you
I'm sorry that I exist, I forget what landed me on your blacklist
But I shouldn't have to be the one that makes up with you
So... why do I want to?
Woke Up
Can't believe
That I almost thought that we were meant to be
Can't believe
That I almost thought you cared about me
...
You're to blame
You're a constant source of misery and pain
...
I'm so glad that I woke up
I'm sick of living under your thumb
Monster
I know we'll never grow old together
Cause you'll never grow old to me
...
We were messed up kids who taught ourselves how to live
And I'm still scared that I'm not good enough
...
And I grew tough cause love had only hurt me back
But loving you is a good problem to have
Everything Stays
Everything stays
Right where you left it
Everything stays
But it still changes
Francis Forever
I don't know what to do without you,
I don't know where to put my hands,
...
I don't need the world to see
That I've been the best I can be, but
I don't think I could stand to be,
Where you don't see me.
Summary: Short, reflective stories for a variety of LMK characters
CW: Implied child abuse
Link to AO3 Version
Chapter Navigation: First | Prev | Next
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Wukong - Betrayal
It had taken MK several years to realise something was amiss, that his face alone was the only one amongst his friends that wasn't changing, the signs of aging banished from his complexion.
Wukong had long anticipated the day he would run to him in distress and beg him to tell him that it wasn't true, that he was still as mortal as he'd ever been.
Wukong had been appropriately confused, alarmed and horrified at all the right moments as they came to the conclusion that picking up the staff had conferred MK not only his powers but his immortality.
He'd sworn up and down that he'd had no idea that it had even been possible, picking up the staff hadn't given him an extra immortality, after all! But still he apologised profusely as he weathered MK's agony.
He supported him as he tried to find a remedy and listened to him at length as he debated giving up the staff. Even if he hadn't been able to hide how upsetting an idea that was, he told MK he would respect his decision.
An easy thing to do when he knew that giving up the staff wouldn't cure him of his immortality, and so that any attempts to do so would be short lived.
Because the truth was that MK's immortality had little to do with the staff, and everything to do with the immortal peach he had selfishly tricked him into eating years ago.
----
MK - Differences
To this day, Pigsy probably had no idea why MK, in his mid-twenties, suddenly started being such an attentive and appreciative son but while he'd initially been a little surprised, and a lot suspicious, he certainly wasn't upset about it.
Any why would he be?
MK now almost never complained or dawdled when Pigsy asked him to do something, he treated him like a king every father's day and he always made time for a father-son day every month where he genuinely wanted to know what Pigsy had been up to and how he was getting on.
Don't get him wrong, it wasn't like he'd been a bad son or anything before that but he could admit he'd taken his dad a little for granted at times.
That all changed as he'd gradually befriended Red Son, and had subsequently gotten to know Princess Iron Fan a little better though.
He and Red Son's childhoods were like night and day in comparison. Obviously, the most glaring difference was the fact that Red Son had been born and raised in a palace, which came with all the luxuries that entailed, but he'd take his humble upbringing at Pigsy's Noodles over Red Son's palace any day of the week.
Because compared to Princess Iron Fan, Pigsy was basically parent of the century.
That wasn't to say Pigsy had been a perfect parent, because he most certainly hadn't been and the man himself would be the first to admit that. But he had always put MK's health and wellbeing above all else and, even if at time's he'd struggled to express it, he'd loved and cared for him as if he was his own flesh and blood.
Princess Iron Fan on the other hand...
He doubted she'd ever shown Red Son even a shred of love or affection. If anything she seemed to hold him in contempt for simply daring to exist.
Now, he could understand to some extent why she might not have always been the world's best mother - she'd lost her husband, she'd been ruling and defending their substantial territory, more than one attempt had been made on her life, the list went on - but that didn't justify the downright cruel ways she treated her son, even to this day.
Nothing Red Son did was ever good enough for her and while it made his blood boil at the injustice of it all there was little he could do, because despite everything Red Son still loved her and wouldn't tolerate anyone saying a bad word about her.
So critiquing Princess Iron Fan was out but heaping as much love and affection on Red Son as he could wasn't. And with very little subtly he did his best to do just that, and sure sometimes he maybe went a little too hard on the positivity but he had a whole lifetime of negativity to catch up on!
---
Mei - Similarities
You'd never catch Mei saying that MK had had an easy childhood. Between being an orphan and having to deal with the stigma that came with having a demon for a father, he'd certainly known his fair share of hardships. But he hadn't had a bad childhood either. Sure, he'd never known the lap of luxury she had but he'd hardly lived in poverty.
More importantly however, he'd had a parent that had always tried to put him first, not his own ambitions or the prestige of his family name, just him and his happiness and wellbeing.
She knew that she had been extremely privileged in many ways - money ensuring she had all the latest toys, tech and fashion as well as the very best education - but that hadn't been enough to stop her from burning with jealousy every time she had been reminded of how much better MK's relationship with Pigsy was compared to her own relationship with either of her parents.
She wasn't proud to admit that, as a teenager, she'd largely taken this injustice out on Pigsy - treating him with flagrant disrespect and encouraging MK to rebel against him at every opportunity. Any time MK so much as hinted that Pigsy had done something that had upset him she'd doubled down and painted the man in as bad a light as possible.
Thankfully, that had largely been a short lived phase - although probably not short enough if you asked Pigsy - and these days she was basically an honorary member of the family, her own relationship with Pigsy, and Mr. Tang, appeasing at least a little of her desire for some positive parental attention.
MK had grown up with a lot of love and it filled him with a righteous anger that Red Son very obviously had not. Mei, of course, equally burned with the injustice of his upbringing but unlike MK she could understand Red Son's painful and desperate desire to still have a meaningful relationship with his parents.
Because even with all her attempts to rebel, even with all their criticism, dismissals and belittling, she still wanted the same thing with hers.
It was a difference that created some friction between Red Son and MK at times, but it was a similarity that connected Red Son and her. There was a quiet understanding between the two, and slowly but surely a willingness to open up and commiserate with each other, to talk about the weight of expectations and how they wished things could be different.
So I'm about 20,000 words away from 1,000,000 words posted on AO3 (all of it LMK!) and I was giving some thought to maybe getting some commissioned artwork to celebrate.
Specifically of artwork for my Shadow series, although nothing is set in stone at the moment, so I thought I would throw it out there and ask for artist recommendations! So if you know a LMK artist (or are one!) please send me a link to their comms page and I'll check them out!
