Monkey King Reborn - Reincarnation
referencing this post about an idea for Reborn's version of Sun Luzhen.
After the events of Reborn; the Pilgrims leave Five Village Abbey, now content with Yuandi's death + the restoration of the Ginseng Tree, but saddened by the loss of Fruitie/Qi Energy.
Until they pass by a Temple to Nüwa and find the snake-creaation goddess holding a large lump of wet clay and a pile of bone ash. After the initial shock of seeing the goddess (Zhu Bajie gets smacked for staring), they realise that she's just as delighted to see them. The Pilgrims all come closer thinking that they're witnessing how the goddess creates new life.
Nüwa: "Ah! Sun Wukong! Just the person I needed to see!" Smokey: "Huh? Why?" Nüwa: (*hands Smokey the lump of clay and some ash*) Smokey: "???" Lump of Clay: (*glows with soul energy*) Sha Wujing: "There's something moving inside! Is it a soul?" Nüwa, explaining: "Sometimes little ones skip Diyu all together and find me so I can make them a new vessel. This little one didn't have a strong enough body to reincarnate into." Smokey: (*absent-mindly rolling/shaping the clay into a rough egg-shape*) "Why is that?" Nüwa: "Because it's soul used to belong to the first Demon King Yuandi." The Pilgrims: (*all in various stages of shock*) "what." Nüwa: "No earthly vessel could hope to contain the primordial energy that laid within. So it came to me seeking help to be born. However I don't create life from my own power anymore. My new creations need a parent to mold from in order for the body to be made. And since Stone Monkeys can absorb their parents Dao through their egg, I knew exactly *who* to wait for." Smokey: (*pauses and finally stops rolling the clay/ash lump*) Egg-shaped Clay: (*hardens in Smokey's hands. Now resembling an actual Stone Egg*) Smokey, realising: "WAIT?! DID YOU JUST-!" Nüwa, cheeky smile: "I hope you come to love your little heir. They'll hatch soon enough." (*The Goddess disappears into the stone floor of the temple*) The Pilgrims: "!?!?" Smokey, shell-shocked: "I think I'm a father now."
The Pilgrims ofc are panicking at the fact that the very demon they just perma-banished/killed has literally reincarnated into Smokey's arms. They argue over whether or not to smash the egg (the monkey hisses and clutches the Egg tighter) or to go back to Five Village Abbey and hand it over to Zenyhuan for the immortals to deal with. But then there's the chance that the gods may just destroy or seal away the egg anyway.
Smokey is super conflicted since he has repressed grief over losing Fruitie, and doesn't want the only other Stone Monkey (he knows) to be raised by humans or risk becoming an experiment for Lao Tzu. Also his Stone Monkey instincts have been activated and he hisses at anyone who comes close to the egg.
So they decide for now to keep the egg, and the resulting little monkey, until they can figure out whether or not the soul contained even remembers being Yuandi.
A different argument quickly crops up along the way.
Sha Wujing: "So... what should we name them?" Zhu Bajie: "Why not just call them Yuandi? It's who they are." Xuanzang: "We are not naming the baby after who they used to be. Yuandi is dead. This little one is alive." Smokey, holding the egg: "Also, what if it's a girl?" Zhu Bajie and Xuanzang: (*protective-uncle mode activated*) "GIRL!?!"
And since this little reincarnated baby is Reborn's version of Sun Luzhen, I wanted their name to include one of the major characters. It was difficult cus "Lǚzhēn" (履真/"to tread/shoe" + "reality") is a compound name. One naming idea I have is; "Zhēnzhì/真志" - is a compound of "to tread" + "ambition". That or Smokey nicknames the baby "Xiao Lǚ/Little Shoes" cus of little shoe-like markings on her back feet. Also matches her "twin" Xiao Qi. :3
Once the truth comes out about Liang's little stowaway being a Stone Egg they stole found at the base of the Ginseng Tree, the Pilgrims of course ask about their choice of name.
Sha Wujing: "So did you name your cub that when you found out it was once Qi Energy?" Liang: "Huh? No, I just called them Xiao Qi [小气] cus they're a tiny bundle of energy. It was either that or Peachy, since they're pink and fuzzy like a peach." (*kisses the giggling Xiao Qi's face*) The Pilgrims: (*all give Smokey a sly smile*) Smokey: (*hides face/blush at the fact his rival/crush has similar naming themes for babies*) Zhēnzhì/Xiao Lǚ: (*paps Smokey's face with tiny hands*) :P
The pair of cubs are like Yin and Yang. One dark and demure, the other light and wild. And they of course act as a perfect reason for Sun Wukong and his estranged ex-friend to reunite and have to work together to ensure their stable upbringing. >:3













