#áo liè

[casadefreewill]

I’ve been real sick so I’ve been watching Monkey King 2009

Anyways they talk about their issues and everything is better and no one has a villain arc the end

[ros13pos13]

Áo-Liè complete!

[lucagray813]

Knock 'Em Dead - Chapter 1

Rating: T

Word Count: 6,577

Main Characters: Macaque, Wukong, MK

Minor Characters: Táng Sānzàng (Tripitaka), Shā Wùjìng, Zhū Bājiè, Áo Liè

Relationships: Macaque & Wukong (Could be interpreted as Shadowpeach)

Summary: MK learns what happened between the Six-Eared Macaque and Monkey King. He's going to wish he hadn't.

Additional Tags: Angst, Canonical Character Death

Chapter: 1/3

Chapter Navigation: 1 | 2 | 3

CW: Heavily implied torture, emotional manipulation

Link to AO3 Version

----

In the aftermath of the Azure situation, MK had promised himself two things. First and foremost, he was never going to be careless with another mystical artefact for as long as he lived. From now on, everything was handled with the utmost care and put straight into the vault with absolutely no exceptions - skeleton keys and memory scrolls had scarred him for life.

And secondly, he was going to commit every detail of Monkey King's life to memory. Mostly because chances were high that the next big bad was another person that Monkey King had pissed off but if he was being honest it was also at least a tiny bit because of Macaque's dig at him for not knowing his Monkey King lore.

Now, he was aware that the various recountings of Monkey King's life didn't have all the details - no book he could find ever mentioned Macaque for example - and so he had decided he would hear it all straight from the monkey's mouth.

It actually became something of a group event, all of them getting together at least once a week to listen to Monkey King's dramatic retellings of his life. Mr. Tang practically hung off every word that was said, while Mei and Pigsy didn't hesitate to start heckling if they felt he was embellishing too much.

MK was somewhere in the middle - part of him still unable to shake the childlike wonder he felt at the fact that he was hearing stories about the Monkey King from the Monkey King and part of him well accustomed to his many, many eccentricities by now.

It had been educational and entertaining and while he'd learned much about details missing from the book - there was still one glaring admission and so far no amount of begging or needling could get Monkey King to talk about his history with Macaque. Despite the fact the two seemed to be on better terms these days.

Macaque frequently invited himself to be a part of MK's training and after some token protests Monkey King usually allowed it rather quickly. His argument being if Macaque was here then he wasn't off scheming so he'd heroically put up with the other to ensure he wasn't causing trouble.

It was a weak excuse, but while the two could be unbelievably snarky and petty, they actually worked together pretty well and MK felt his training was coming on leaps and bounds as a result.

Macaque generally wasn't one for socialising however, and he rarely graced MK with his presence outside of training. But that's not to say MK didn't occasionally catch a glimpse of him around the island and today he was determined he was going to find him and get him to spill all the details Monkey King was holding out on him.

Macaque, of course, quickly cottoned on to the fact that he was trying to talk to him and seemed to take immense pleasure in playing keep away. His laughter rang out after every failed attempt to catch up with him, and it took a small frustrated breakdown for MK to realise that he was getting nowhere.

There was no catching Macaque if he didn't want to be caught and he was probably delighted by MK's growing frustration.

Time to stop and rethink things.

He'd have to make coming and talking to him more appealing than playing games. The solution was obvious in hindsight, and pretty confident that Monkey King was out of earshot, he shouted, "Macaque! I need your help dealing with Monkey King!"

For several long moments there was no response but just as he made to call again, Macaque's lazy drawl could be heard behind him, "Monkey King's beloved successor needs my help? And dealing with the Great Sage himself? My, oh my, who could have ever seen this coming?"

He turned around quickly to see, Macaque reclining on a branch grinning down at him, "What's that idiot done now?"

MK was quick to defend his mentor, "He's not done anything!" The fire left him quickly, "Look, Monkey King has been teaching me about his past but he's not telling me everything."

Macaque hummed thoughtfully, "Not surprising, as if he'd want you knowing the truth. Let me guess, it's me that you can't get any answers on, right?"

"Yes! I saw you both in the Scroll of Memory - I know you were important to him but you aren't in any version of Journey to the West I can find and Monkey King just refuses to talk about it!"

"I'm flattered, kid. But I'm afraid you're not entitled to my life story."

"What! Since when do you pass up on the chance to do something to annoy Monkey King!"

"Ah, but it's no fun if I just straight up tell you."

"Ugh! Well make it fun then! I don't care - I just want answers!"

Macaque titled his head, "That desperate to know you're willing to let me do as I please? That's a dangerous lack of foresight."

MK quickly backpedaled, "Tell me what you want in exchange for answers then - let's make a deal."

Macaque wasn't impressed and he sighed heavily before bringing a hand to rub at his temples, "Kid, don't go around making deals with shady demons."

A little offended he argued, "I'm not just going to agree to anything! C'mon, give me something reasonable to work with!"

"This naïvety is exactly why I stick around to help train you. We're not making a deal but I'll give you a chance to convince me why I should tell you anything."

With a wave of his hand darkness surrounded them - only leaving a cone of light surrounding MK. It was no brighter than it had been but he had to resist the urge to shade his eyes with his hand as he turned this way and that trying to find where Macaque had gone.

Macaque's voice echoed around him, "Stage is yours, kiddo. Knock 'em dead." He then chuckled at his own words, as if he'd said something funny.

He took a moment to try and centre himself and make a game plan. Somehow, "I want to know." didn't feel like it was going to cut it. In fact, that would probably have the surrounding shadows spit him out into the ocean or something.

He tried, "Look, it's not hard to see the pattern here. There's not one enemy I've come across that didn't have some tie to Monkey King, if not an outright grudge with him. I want to be prepared for whatever comes next - whoever comes next. I need to know the whole story."

Macaque hummed, "Not bad. But I'd say it's a little too late for this story to do you any good. Try again."

He hesitated for a moment, before silently asking Monkey King for his forgiveness, "Well, you've told me countless times why I shouldn't trust Monkey King but you've never actually properly explained to me why I shouldn't."

Macaque laughed a little meanly, "Do I really have to? Surely you've figured that out on your own by now. Or should we reminisce on all the ways he's let you down?"

"He's let me down, sure but he's also always come through for me in the end. And he's getting better! He's making a real effort to be open and honest - which is more than I can say for you!"

"Ooh. Ouch. Let me remind you why you're here. For information, the oh so open and honest Monkey King won't share with you."

MK resisted the urge to stamp his foot and instead crossed his arms as he took a moment to really think on what he could say to convince him. He thought back on the shadow play and what Macaque had been trying to teach him.

He took a breath, "I don't want to make the same mistakes that Monkey King did. I don't want to hurt the people I care about. Because that's what happened, right? He hurt you. He hurt you so badly you were willing to do anything to make him feel the same way."

The silence he received in return spoke volumes and he sincerely asked the shadows, "Please, help me stop that from happening again. Don't let me make those same mistakes. Help me to be better. That's why you're teaching me, right?"

The shadows swirl around him and suddenly he was sat front and centre before a dilapidated stage with Macaque standing in the middle, the shadows swirling around his peripherals.

"Not bad, MK. Your showmanship is lacking but we can work on that. Now, let me demonstrate how to really put on a show."

He moved with flair, hand flung out to the wall behind him as the shadows morphed to take the shape of five very familiar figures walking along a road.

Macaque grinned, "Our story starts with our hero and his companions travelling west. They've been on this journey for some time, overcoming every obstacle and defeating every demon that threatened their holy mission. Today's demon of the week is a little different from most though, he has no interest in immortality gained from feasting on monk flesh nor does he have a desire for revenge. He is here for one reason and that is to free the hero from his enslavement."

----

Macaque stared at the rubble that had once been Wukong's prison. For one terrifying moment he thought that Wukong was trapped beneath the carnage, dead or dying. But his ears quickly told him there was no-one alive underneath and when his brain finally started to function again he remembered Wukong's death was an impossibility.

Still, after shaking himself out of his stupor, he had his shadows investigate every nook and cranny and they confirmed that there was no trace of Wukong, which only led to more questions.

What had happened here? When had it happened? It surely hadn't been that long since his last visit? He racked his brain and felt dread bubble up as he realised it had been at least half a decade since he'd been here.

He tried to justify his absence - he'd been busy, between various threats to Flower Fruit Mountain and his research into the seals that kept Wukong imprisoned here he'd had little time for anything else.

Besides five years was nothing in the grand scheme of things.

And yet guilt still made itself known, he never let Wukong know he was here but that didn't mean he didn't try and offer him some comfort - a gentle breeze through his fur, droplets of water against his skin, a rock breaking away to land perfectly in his hand.

On occasion, he took the form of an animal that had somehow found their way into the cave or he would disguise his voice and pretend to be travellers that were unknowingly hiking above the Monkey King.

There was little he could do to break up the monotony of Wukong's punishment but he knew that these small acts were desperately received by him. If he had revealed himself he could have done more but there was only so much abuse he could take.

He understood that the mountain was driving Wukong mad but what good would bearing the brunt of that madness do for either of them?

He had been gone for too long regardless and now to make matters worse he had no idea where Wukong was.

He steadied himself, and searched for somewhere safe that he could Listen. Beneath the shattered mountain there were still caves that would serve as a safe spot. He moved through the shadows and once he reached a deep enough cave, he emerged and got to work setting up some protective seals.

Listening for anything further back than a couple of minutes left him defenseless and he might have to go back years to find out what had happened to Wukong. He was going to have one hell of a migraine after this but he had no other choice.

----

The recovery from the extended use of his Listening took longer than he would have liked, but as he lay there and processed everything he'd Heard he knew his fury at what had occurred in his absence would never be made peace with.

Wukong had been freed only to be chained like a dog expected to meekly obey the whims of an insignificant little human. He felt humiliation and injustice burn through him on Wukong's behalf.

Wukong's pained screams at that cursed circlet echoed in his ears, it haunted his nightmares. He wouldn't be able to rest until Wukong was free of it.

To that end he chased after Wukong and this monk as fast as he could. Forcing himself to stop only to Listen - he needed to know which path they had taken, he needed information on how Wukong was, and most importantly he needed to know how much this monk deserved to suffer for what he'd done.

It took some time to catch up and in that time his resolve and his anger had only gotten sharper.

When they finally came into sight he had to resist the urge to tear the monk and his little disciples to shreds there and then. He needed at least the monk alive in order to figure out how to remove the circlet. But the urge to kill was forgotten momentarily as he laid eyes on Wukong for the first time in almost a decade.

He wasn't truly free but he was freer than he had been - able to move as he pleased, able to bask in the world that existed outside of the mountain. Macaque forgot to breathe for a long moment as he took all of him in for the first time in five hundred years.

All his mind could focus on was how desperately he had missed him and with little thought behind his actions he opened a portal beneath Wukong and brought them both a safe distance away from his captors.

Wukong's surprise at being spirited away quickly turned to disbelief as he realised what had happened. Macaque grinned, and started to move towards him, "Wukong! You have no idea how glad I am that I finally found you!"

His elation was short lived and he stopped short as Wukong glared at him, "Wukong...?"

He got a growl in return, "Finally found me? You've known where I was for five hundred years! You think I want to see you now? After you left me to rot?"

Indignant he responded, "Left you to rot? I've done nothing but try and find ways to free you!"

He sneered, "Oh yeah, great job you did with that. Really appreciate you freeing me, bud. Wouldn't be here now without you." His eyes glowed dangerously, "You couldn't have spared a single moment to see me in five hundred years?"

In the face of his anger, Macaque felt his own rise in kind, "You think it's easy trying to break a seal made by the fucking Buddha? Maybe I would have figured it out by now if I wasn't still trying to tidy up your mess! Every demon and their mother wants a piece of Flower Fruit Mountain because of you!"

None of that seemed to matter as Wukong took an impassioned step forward, "You abandoned me! We were supposed to be in this together but when I needed you most you weren't there! You haven't been there for five hundred years!"

Macaque took his own angry step closer, "I was there! You think animals just wandered in of their own accord? Do you really think you could hear travellers talking above you when you couldn't hear anything else from outside? I was there!"

Wukong looked far from comforted, if anything he was enraged, "You think any of that makes up for the fact that you didn't even show yourself once? Do you have any idea how much I've suffered? You could have done something! If it had been you trapped there I would have been there every day!"

He was so full of it - Macaque would have given it a week before Wukong ran off looking for something to entertain himself with. Wukong couldn't even spend a full month on the island without getting bored and he thought he'd be able to tough it out when Macaque had no way to entertain him?

"Why would I show up every day just to be screamed at? Because that's what happened Wukong - I came to see you every week and you made sure I suffered every second of it! You should be grateful I tried to help you at all after that!"

"Oh I'm sorry! Did being trapped under a mountain make me a little short tempered? Did I hurt your feelings? I'm sure that must have been just so terrible for you. So terrible that even hundreds of years later you couldn't get over it! Five hundred years, Macaque! Is that getting through yet? Five hundred years and you weren't there!"

He felt his anger war with his guilt.

Was he just expected to suffer alongside Wukong? This punishment was the direct consequence of his actions - actions Macaque had tried to talk him out of multiple times. Was he expected to still disregard himself just to be by Wukong's side? Everything he had done in the last five hundred years had been for Wukong and it still wasn't enough.

But then he thought of Wukong alone and agonised under that mountain, the entire crux of Wukong's argument was that all he had wanted was to see him, and his weak heart couldn't take it.

His anger faltered, his entire body letting go of his tension as he conceded, "You're right. I wasn't there and I should have been..." He rallied somewhat desperately, "But I'm here now! I'm here to bring you home! I'm here to free you from this monk!"

Coldly Wukong replied, "I don't need you now. I don't need you to bring me home. I don't need you to "free" me from my master. All I need is for you to leave."

"You can't mean that..."

A loud voice cut across them, "Brother! Where are you?"

The water demon.

Wukong looked in the direction of his voice before he steeled himself and looked Macaque dead in the eye, "Go home. Once I'm done with my mission maybe then I'll be able to stand the sight of you. Until then, I don't want to see you again."

Macaque couldn't comprehend his words. He had Heard what this monk had done to him, Wukong needed him now more than ever.

He shook his head, "No. I know that you're being forced to do this. I've Heard the agony that circlet causes you. You need my help."

Irritation found its way back to Wukong's face, "You're the last person I need help from. My master is the only one who can help me. With this circlet, he's teaching me to be better."

Macaque could only stare. He thought a human that leashed him and forced him to comply with his orders and hurt him when he didn't was helping him? Had he missed the signs when he was Listening of some wicked spell this monk had cast on him. Or perhaps the mountain had finally caused Wukong to go truly mad.

"Brother! You're making our master worry for no good reason!"

The pig demon.

Wukong turned and walked away from him, towards the voices calling for him. He stopped only to look back and warn, "Go home. Don't let me see you again before I return to the island."

Macaque could only watch as he willingly chose to return to his captors.

----

Macaque did not go home.

It was even clearer now that Wukong needed his help - he had been bewitched by this human.

He stayed where he was and he Listened to Wukong as he reassured the demons that all was well, although it was clear to them that whatever had happened Wukong was not at all pleased about it. The pig simply mocked him for being taken off guard.

When they returned to the monk, Wukong was apologetic, "Sorry about that, master. A demon. Just the usual. They've been dealt with."

Macaque seethed.

The monk sounded wary, "Dealt with?"

"Yeah, I gave them a good talking to. We shouldn't be seeing them again."

The pig demon was in disbelief, "You talked to them? Why waste your breath?"

The monk's reprimand was sharp, "Zhū Bājiè!" He got a grumbled apology in return before he addressed Wukong, "Wukong, please tell me what happened. I am exceptionally pleased to hear you handled this situation without resorting to violence."

"Ah, there's nothing really to tell. Just some demon trying to tempt me away from our mission. But rest assured nothing could ever be enough to convince me to abandon you all."

He knew he was Listening.

The water demon spoke up, "What did they try and tempt you with? Don't tell me some poor soul thought they could seduce you?"

The pig snorted, "As if anyone would want the likes of him."

"Please, they don't call me the Handsome Monkey King for nothing but that's besides the point. They just thought mentions of my home would be enough to have me leave my post. As if it won't still be there once we've finished our journey."

The water demon replied, "Compared to most other ploys to steal our master from us this was a pretty weak attempt."

"Eh. It was a different take if nothing else."

The monk was not fooled, "I do not feel you are being honest with us. As much as I would like to believe you have finally learned to heed my words about abstaining from violence I doubt this was the case."

Very begrudgingly Wukong admitted, "Well, it was actually a demon I used to know. He wasn't interested in eating you at all, master. He... Just didn't understand what I was doing here. No need for a fight over that, right?"

The pig was derisive, "A demon's a demon, you should have sent him packing."

"You're a demon, you little idiot! I should send you packing!"

The monk cut in, "Enough. Wukong, it sounds like you handled the situation admirably. Zhū Bājiè, everyone is deserving of compassion, even a demon."

Wukong was tight-lipped about this demon he had known and deflected any questions regarding him. And eventually they let him be and continued to travel westward.

Wukong's submissive pandering to this mortal was almost unbearable to listen to. Had he forgotten who he was? What he was capable of? The circlet was no doubt keeping him in line but to be so subservient was surely beyond what was needed of him.

He supposed pain was a rare thing for Wukong to feel though- perhaps it truly had rattled him enough to hang off the monks every word.

A plan was slowly coming together but unfortunately any plan involving Wukong made his future Hearing all but useless. He created his own destiny, he always had. But it didn't matter, the monk was the key to all of this.

He could work with that.

----

Stealing away the monk in the dead of the night and taking his place had been laughably easy. And while it had been tempting to stay with the monk and torture him until he finally choked up the truth on how to free Wukong from the circlet, he couldn't risk anyone discovering he was missing so soon.

Leaving him in the dark with some sharp shadows however should be a nice warm up. Humans were fragile things after all, so easily frightened. Let him stew there until Macaque had the time to properly deal with him.

It made him both sick and elated to see Wukong look at him with eyes filled with love and devotion. Had he ever truly looked at him in such a way? Love perhaps but devotion?

It was best not to dwell on the answer.

Neither Wukong or his fellow demons had any suspicions. His performance was flawless - between his Listening and being exceptionally well read it was not a difficult role to play.

Eventually they stopped for a break and as the horse slept he sent the other demons away to find food and then he bid Wukong to take a short walk with him.

"Is everything alright, master? Why send away both Shā Wùjìng and Zhū Bājiè for food? One would have been enough surely?"

"You are quite right but I was hoping to have a moment to speak with you alone about this demon you encountered. You were reluctant to share any details the other day and I wanted to offer you the opportunity to speak more on the matter should you so wish."

Wukong deflated, "Ah. There really isn't anything to say. Just someone from back home that had tracked me down and wanted me to go back with him."

"I see. If I may ask, do you miss your home, Wukong? It has been sometime since you were last there, has it not?"

"Well, sure I do. You should see it, master! It's the most wonderful place in the world! I hope once we've received the scriptures you'll let me show it to you!"

He brought a hand to his heart and bowed his head ever so slightly, "I would be honoured. But I am pleased by your commitment, I could understand the temptation to visit your home."

"Of course! I'm a monkey of my word! And like I said, my home will still be waiting for me when we're done - what's a few more years away?"

"I must admit I am curious about this demon that sought you out. He travelled all the way from your home to find you? That is not an easy feat. Why did you send him away? He could have rested with us for a while, could he not?"

Wukong's face was a picture of forced neutrality, "If I'm being honest, he's not someone I was happy to see. Last time we saw each other was a long time ago and it ended badly."

"Yet he came all this way to find you? To bring you home? It does not sound as if he holds the same grudge."

Wukong's tail flicked irritably and he muttered, "He's not the one that was wronged."

Macaque feigned surprise, "He wronged you? And still you handled the situation with civility? I have underestimated you."

Wukong preened under his praise before admitting somewhat bashfully, "Well, I suppose I wasn't totally innocent in how it all went down..." He then looked away, "And he was someone I once considered a friend."

"Ah, it sounds like this is not a straightforward matter. A grievance between friends can be particularly painful. Know that should you wish for my guidance on this you need only ask."

Wukong smiled, "I appreciate that. I'd like some more time to think of it first but I've no doubt I will seek your wisdom."

"Of course. Take your time to reflect on this matter."

----

Macaque was a patient demon, but while he could play this role for some time without issue. The monk could not survive long without food or water so it was with great reluctance that he brought these necessities to him. He of course had to overcome painfully sharp shadows to reach them and that at least brought him some comfort.

His plan was simple - he needed to convince Wukong to go back to the island. Once he was there he could dedicate his time to the monk proper. He could chance it and slip away during the night but if Wukong woke and saw him missing it would jeopardize everything.

Not to mention, he was in a very lucrative position to persuade Wukong to make peace with him. Wukong listened to everything he said as the monk and he doubted he'd have to push very hard to get him to realise that the best way forward was forgiveness.

This was not a plan without risk - he had Heard about Wukong's Vision of Truth and it would only take one glance with those golden eyes for Macaque to be made. But as long as they didn't run into any trouble there really was no call for Wukong to use them.

In the meantime, he soothed Wukong's pain. Until eventually, the right opportunity presented itself.

"Five hundred years, master. I get that I wasn't great company but to just leave me there..."

"I will never understand the magnitude of such loneliness. It was part of your punishment but I can only imagine it was made worse knowing he was able to alleviate such suffering and didn't. I know it brings little peace but it does not sound as if he did this to hurt you."

A little angrily he responded, "No, he did it for himself." He then looked down eyes a little wet, "To protect himself from me..."

"I believe there may be more to it than that. I do not disagree that he likely could have visited you and that he did not out of fear of your reaction but from what you have told me that was not the only reason he was not there."

He mumbled, "He said he was trying to find a way to free me... And that he was busy protecting our home..."

Concerned he asked, "Your home is not often in danger, is it?"

"I... I don't know... But Macaque can handle it. I mean, he's not as strong as me but he's kept it safe this long, right?"

"I can only assume so. I do not know what he is capable of. Although I will certainly pray that demons the likes of which we have faced do not currently threaten him."

A small worried frown appeared on his face but still he muttered, "Macaque, can handle it..."

It did cut at his pride somewhat to sow these seeds of doubt in his ability but it was a small price to pay. He could prove himself capable when all of this was behind them.

He pretended to seriously consider the problem, "Wukong, you are capable of travelling great distances in the blink of an eye. I wonder if you promised not to be gone longer than a day if it would bring you some peace to check on your home?"

Wukong looked at him hopefully, "Are you sure, master? I could be there and back in no time at all. Just a quick check, I could leave some clones, and then when I would be free from any worries about its safety."

"Yes, I think that it is best we nip this worry of yours in the bud before it can distract you from your duty here. Just be back before dawn."

Wukong jumped to his feet, sickening adoration in his eyes, "Thank you, master! I promise, I'll be back in no time! Let me take you back to the others and I'll be on my way. I'll be sure to bring back all of your favourite fruit - oh just wait until you try them from my home!"

He patiently walked with Wukong as he continued to tell him how wonderful the food back home was and then as he explained to the others what he was planning to do. They all cheerfully put in their requests and waved off his lectures to keep their master safe.

Finally, he was gone and the pig and the horse eagerly accepted his suggestion that they rest here until he returned.

It really was exceedingly easy to cast a spell to put them all to sleep.

He returned to the monk, in the pitch black cave, and relished in his frightened sobs as he picked him up by the throat. He spoke with the monk's voice, "So sorry to have kept you waiting for so long but it took some time to convince your good, little disciple to take a quick visit back home. But for the next few hours my attention is only for you."

----

Well the monk had been disappointing to say the least, both in entertainment and in answers. Apparently only Guānyīn was capable of removing the circlet and she would only do so once the journey was completed. But there must be another way.

How to investigate it without giving himself away though...?

He pondered his next move as he watched over his sleeping disciples. There was a part of him that saw boundless opportunity by carrying on with this ruse but the risk of Wukong's Vision of Truth was too high. He needed to bring this show to its conclusion.

No doubt he could have a nearby demon kidnap them all. He just needed to explain away why the monk would think it had been almost a week and not only the day it would take Wukong to find them...

Ah, there was an artefact in the vault that might suffice - a little pocket dungeon that one could easily be fooled into thinking time moved differently within.

Easy. Reluctantly patch up the monk, shove him in the box, and hand them all over to the local demon lord. No-one need be any the wiser.

If only that's how it had all transpired.

Instead he only had seconds to leap to his feet at the sound of Wukong's nimbus hurtling towards him, he had even less time to realise that furious, golden eyes were glaring straight at him before having to dodge out of the way of the impact.

He dropped the disguise and immediately dove for a shadow portal. But he choked as his cloak was snagged and he was pulled back out and thrown through a forest of trees to slam against the side of a mountain.

He had no time to ponder the how's, not when Wukong was flying through the air, fist drawn back, and with murder in his eyes.

He managed to leap out of the way just as the mountain shattered under Wukong's strike.

Macaque had fought with Wukong many times over the years - and only occasionally had those fights ever been driven by anger and even then Wukong had never exerted his full strength.

This wasn't good.

Desperately called out, "Wukong, wait! I can explain!"

Wukong roared as he lunged at him, "You can explain!?"

Macaque was on the defensive as Wukong screamed, "You can explain why you were manipulating me!? You can explain why you tortured my master!?"

Wukong managed to catch his tail as he tried to dodge and he wasted no time using it to throw him into the nearest tree, reducing it to splinters.

He never got a chance to scrabble far before Wukong had him by the throat, and he wheezed, "I was doing it for you!"

He wasn't sure how it was possible for those eyes to burn any brighter with fury but his words managed it.

Wukong slammed him to the ground, voice terrifyingly level he said, "I told you to go home. I told you I didn't need your help. I didn't want to see you again." He increased the force in which he held him down, "And this is what you did instead?"

He grit his teeth, "They have you chained like a fucking dog. You're the Monkey King, not some pathetic mortal's pitiful slave."

He was picked up and slammed down again, "Don't speak of my master! You don't deserve to ever have laid eyes on him!"

The drive to survive and the fury of this misplaced loyalty had his shadows rise up and Wukong had no choice but to drop him and dodge their attempts to skewer him.

He stood up shakily, "Everything I ever did was for you... and yet some mortal that'll be dead in not even a fraction of our time together has more of your love and devotion than I've ever had..."

He'd seen it with his own eyes, felt the adoration Wukong had for this monk.

He had achieved Wukong's affection through force.

Is that what it took? Is that where he'd always gone wrong?

He summoned his staff and he watched as Wukong did the same. He took a haggard breath in, and he promised the impossible, "I'm bringing you home."

----

"It was a bloody fight but there's no prize for guessing how it ended. The Monkey King, of course, defeated the foul demon that had endangered his journey for the scriptures."

The shadows depicted a gruesome scene of a pleading Macaque on the floor trying to scrabble backwards as Wukong lifted the staff high above his head.

MK looked away before it could make contact with Macaque's skull.

When he looked back, it was to the scene they had started with - Wukong and the Great Companions walking along.

"And thus the pilgrims continued onwards, an event of such little significance it never even made it into the stories that would be written one day."

The shadows swirled into nothing and Macaque took a bow, "And there you have it folks, the end of the Six-Eared Macaque. Tragic, sure. But hey, not everyone gets a happy ending. That's just life for you."

MK could only stare horrified for a moment before he weakly asked, "He killed you...?"

Cheerfully Macaque responded, "Sure did. I was dead as could be until our old pal the Lady Bone Demon came by and well I'm sure you know the rest."

He didn't know what to say, he couldn't say he hadn't had some suspicions but to have it confirmed and for everything leading up to it to be so awful? It made him feel sick.

And yet his mind was a flurry of questions - How had Monkey King known what had happened? He couldn't have felt nothing about killing Macaque, right? Even if Macaque had done something that terrible - had he deserved to die? The two of them today were sort of getting on - how was that possible? How could you ever move past something like that?

"I can see I've rendered you speechless. I'd like to say it was my incredible performance but alas with a story this good the show is almost negligible."

MK stood, "Stop! This isn't- You can't-! You died! You shouldn't be-"

"What? Making light of it? Finding it funny? Hey now, do I go around telling you how to deal with your death? No, I don't."

He powered through all of that, "There's so much I don't know. How did Monkey King know? What happened after he... After you died?"

Macaque shrugged nonchalantly, "Guess you'd have to ask Old Monkey King that. Maybe he'll be feeling more inclined to share now that you have the other half of the story."

He then stretched, "Now if you'll excuse me - I'm not one for encores or for meet and greets - so I'm off to raid the wine cellars."

He grinned a little manically before falling into a portal, "See you around, MK."

MK didn't waste his breath shouting after him.

He needed to find Monkey King.

--Chapter End--

Next Chapter

LMK Fanfic Masterlist

[celestialkiri]

So in your Journey to the West setting what is the state of under used member of the travelers: the White Dragon Horse /Áo Liè ?

I know many just reduce him to super horse but... he is the third son of the Dragon King of the Western Sea.

LISTEN- THE HORSE IS MUCH APPRECIATED! At least Reader likes him a lot because...it's a magical horse! You better believe she took a lot of pictures with her phone. "No one will ever believe this shit when I come back home...if I can go back." But like in the novel the horse will still be underused despite Reader thinking why they can't use horses to cross the rivers and oceans. But the gang ignores her words so she gives up. :'D But from time to time she sneakily gives the horse some Moomin crackers she has in her pack-back. Don't tell the monkey. He will get jealous.

[mythologyfolklore]

Dragon Tears - Chapter 01

(A/N: This fic was inspired by all the NeBing asks/incorrect quotes I've been getting in the past weeks, that have made me a NeBing shipper. I hope you like it! :)

Summary: Áo Bĭng informs his father, that he's getting married to Nézhā. Áo Guāng responds ... poorly. After over a week of searching for shelter with no idea where he's going, he finally comes across the Earthly home of Èrláng Shén, who reluctantly takes him in. Now Áo Bĭng has to deal with the fallout of being disowned by his own family, while also trying to get along with his future father-in-law, who isn't exactly known for handling unconventional marriages well.)

.

Chapter One: Unlikely shelter

.

Well, can't say I didn't see it coming, Áo Bĭng thought tiredly.

After a heated argument, Áo Guāng had kicked his third son out of the palace, which didn't come as too much of a surprise.

Áo Bĭng had known his father would be angry about him being gay and even more so about his son's attachment to Nézhā. Which was why it had taken him so long to confess his relationship with the Third Lotus Prince to his father in the first place.

Still he was distraught.

Why did it have to be like this? Why was his father's love so conditional? Why had his older brothers just stood by without interfering at all? How could his entire family turn against him so easily?

Now he knew how Áo Liè and Lóngnǚ had felt after being rejected by their family¹.

Except Áo Liè (now Bodhisattva Tiānlóng) and Lóngnǚ had their masters and fellow disciples. A found family that stood by them for better or worse. The blood of the covenant was indeed thicker than the water of the womb, Áo Bĭng supposed.

Áo Bĭng had nothing.

His uncles were just as hard-hearted as his father and wouldn't take him in. Guān Yīn had gone to attend lectures in the Western Heaven, as far as he knew; so she, his sister Lóngnǚ, Shàncái and Muzha wouldn't be home. And his cousin Tiānlóng had long turned his back on the Áo Family, wanting nothing more to do with them.

He had no friends; thanks to his reputation as a spoiled little prince (in reality he was so busy, that he had no time to learn how to interact with people normally, so he just followed his father's and brothers' example).

He had no master; Áo Guāng insisted on keeping all of his sons by his side, ever since Lóngnǚ had chosen to become a disciple of Guān Yīn (yes, he was still butthurt about that).

As it was right now, he had nowhere to go.

So here he was, aimlessly wandering the lands during typhoon season and trying to find some place to stay. Whether it was a cave or an abandoned house, Áo Bĭng didn't care. He couldn't afford to be picky right now. He had no idea where he was, nor where he was going or how long he'd been roaming. All he knew what that he was tired, hungry and alone.

After he didn't know how long, he finally spied a few dim lights through the rain.

What's that? Street lanterns? Houses? Please be houses!

Hurriedly he flew towards the lights.

Turned out it was a large Western style mansion with a huge garden and everything.

The gate was open, probably the homeowner was waiting for someone.

Áo Bĭng decided to try his luck, flew up to the front door of the house and used one of his front claws to carefully press the bell button.

Almost immediately, he heard the muffled sound of a dog barking, then someone trying to calm them down.

The Third Prince of the East Sea couldn't help but shiver in fear – he was frightened of dogs!

But the desperate need for a place to stay kept him from running away. He'd have to suck it up. Allegedly exposure therapy was very effective.

Then the door opened and Áo Bĭng's eyes widened.

There stood a tall man with very long black hair and black eyes, wearing a bandana and modern clothes. It was a man Áo Bĭng would never not recognise and also the last person he'd expected to see.

The man's eyes widened in shock. “Áo Bĭng?”

.

“So, are you going to explain to me, why you showed up at my house in the middle of the night?”, asked Èrláng Shén, after helping the dragon prince take human form and letting him inside.

Before Áo Bĭng could answer, the older god tossed him a large bath towel.

“Nevermind, explanations can wait. Dry yourself off first, because I'm not letting you drip all over my expensive carpet floor. Wait here, I'll get you some dry clothes.”

With that, he darted further into his home, while Áo Bĭng took off his upper layers of clothes, which for some reason were as soaked as his hair. Within less than five minutes, Èrláng returned with a colourful pyjama and a dressing gown and unceremoniously tossed them at him.

“Here. They may be too big, but they'll have to do for now”, he said gruffly. “Ground floor bathroom is in the corridor on the left, it's labelled, so you'll find it easily. Take a shower and change. I'll take those dirty wet rags of yours, when you're done.”

Dirty wet rags?!?

But the Third Prince swallowed his agitation and did as told.

Once cleaned up and dressed in warm and dry clothes, he had to admit, that the fluffy Pjs were much nicer than being cold and soggy.

.

A shower and a bowl of hot soup later, Áo Bĭng was sitting on a couch, clapsing a mug of tea, while Èrláng was sitting in the armchair at the other side of the table with an expectant look on his face.

“So”, he finally spoke. “About why you're here.”

Áo Bĭng admitted: “I actually didn't mean to come here on purpose. I just … I didn't know where I was, until you opened the door. I don't even know what time it is or how long I've been out.”

Èrláng pointed towards the wall to Áo Bĭng's right. There was a digital clock, a lunar calendar and a Gregorian calendar. Judging by those, it was 23:30. No wonder Áo Bĭng was so hungry and tired.

“As for why I was out … well … I finally told my father, that I'm dating Nézhā. He … didn't take it well.”

“He threw you out?”

“M-hm.”

“Just like this, with nowhere to turn to.”

“… Yeah. Didn't even give me time to pack clothes or money. I can't turn to my uncles, because they're just like him. Guān Yīn and my sister and friend might have taken me in, but they're on a pilgrimage to Thunderclap Monastery.” He folded his hands, pleading: “Zhēnjūn², I beseech you, have mercy! I know you disapprove of me and my relationship with your son, but I really have nowhere else to go!”

Èrláng looked shell-shocked.

He took a deep breath, before saying: “… You know, considering how he raised Heavens and Hells for you 3000 years ago, I thought Áo Guāng loves you more than that.”

Áo Bĭng nodded, sniffling. “I-I thought so too! I mean, I knew h-he'd be mad, but … I thought … I hoped …!”

Don't cry, don't cry, don't cry, don't cry, don't-

A warm hand was placed on his shoulder and warmth seeped into his body down to the marrow.

Somewhere along the line, Èrláng had left his armchair and joined him on the couch.

The older god's face was sober, but there was compassion in his usually cold black eyes.

“Now now. Chin up, Dragon Prince!”, he spoke gently. “Put your mind at ease. You can stay here. I'll give you shelter, food and a warm bed and treat you as my guest – provided you behave and make yourself useful around the house, of course. At least until you find some other place or Áo Guāng gets his head out of his arse.”

Áo Bĭng couldn't help but choke back a sob, as he thanked the Celestial profusely.

.

---

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1) Áo Liè (Bái Lóng Mă) is disowned by his family, after accidentally damaging his father's palace and a precious pearl gifted by the Jade Emperor - actually, he almost gets executed for it - later joins the JTTW team on their Pilgrimage and in the end becomes a Celestial Dragon of the Eight Classes of Supernatural Beings. As for Lóngnǚ, well, I couldn't actually find a source mentioning that she was disowned. But my Chinese fairy tale book does say, that Áo Guāng got really upset, when his baby girl was so taken by Bodhisattva Guān Yīn (after giving her a pearl as thanks for saving Áo Bĭng from being eaten by humans), that she decided to convert to Buddhism. 2) Zhēnjūn: True Monarch

[rinyaskyline]

This is still a WIP but I love the crew dearly. These characters' stories continue after the JTTW, where they form a group of friends who have all been wronged one way or another by The East (Jade Emperor) and/or West (Buddha) Celestial Courts. Here we have (from left to right)

Ne Zha, Third Lotus Prince and Marshal of the Central Altar (lovingly known as Heaven's Hellion)

Shancai/Red Boy, servant of Bodhisattva Guanyin and wielder of the True Samadhi Fire

The Azure Lion, also known as Lion-Lynx Demon and the former Lion Camel King

The Spirit of the Six Eared Macaque, near-omniscient Master of Illusions and Unghostly Spirit of Flower-Fruit Mountain

Sun Wukong, Great Sage; Heaven's Equal, the Monkey King, and Victorious Fighting Buddha (a title he renounced but still respects and is honoed by)

I'd love to make something out of this. I've got so many ideas in my head and I want to do designs for Longnü the Snake Dragon Girl, Guanyin, Áo Liè and many others. It would be set in the modern day with all sorts of shenanigans, heartache, self-discovery, and growth when it comes to these characters. (And also a couple characters of my own ^_^)

Every time I've planned to make a comic, animation, or animatic I never follow through or I loose interest, but hopefully I'll be able to keep this one alive. I love it a lot actually.

What would you call this? The working titles I've got are: The Journeys of the Monkey King, After the Journey to the West, and The Unwritten Journeys. Although something with "Celestials" in it would sound nice too.

[saiyukiitaliaandinternational]

Breve descrizione dei personaggi di Wu Cheng'en

Come è ovvio i protagonisti minekurani sono ispirati a quelli dell'opera di Wu Cheng'en anche i nomi sono gli stessi se non per il fatto che sono pronunciati in giapponese, infatti sono:

Sun Wukong—> Son Goku Sha Wujing—> Sha Gojyo Zhu Bajie—> Cho Hakkai Tang Sanzang/Xuanzang—> Genjo Sanzo

Sun Wukong

Egli è il Re delle Scimmie, nato da una roccia sferzata dai vari elementi soprattutto il vento. Tutto il racconto è incentrato su di lui e sul suo viaggio interiore,nonché epico. Dopo aver osato sfidare il Cielo venne relegato dal Buddha (anch'egli sfidato) sulla terra con un enorme montagna addosso per 500 anni. Passato questo arco di tempo verrà liberato dal Bodhisattva Guanyin con la condizione che diventi discepolo di Sanzang.

Zhu Bajie

È uno dei tre aiutanti di Sanzang mezzo uomo e mezzo maiale,nella vita precedente era Tian Peng, Maresciallo della Via Lattea che a causa delle avance nei confronti della Dea della Luna Chang'e rischiò di essere condannato a morte,ma l'intercessione del Grande Pianeta Bianco gli fa avere solo (si fa per dire) 2000 bastonate e una rinascita come mortale. Nel romanzo viene spesso chiamato daizi che vuol dire “idiota” in quanto la sua stupidità e la sua pigrizia si contrappone alla furbizia e all'intelligenza di Sun Wukong. Bajie vuol dire “otto divieti” ed è il soprannome che Sanzang gli ha dato per ricordargli la sua dieta e condotta buddhista.

Sha Wujing

Il suo nome vuol dire “sabbia di pura conoscenza” poiché è un demone fluviale,nella vita precedente era un discepolo delle divinità celesti e in un impeto di rabbia rompe un vaso durante la Festa delle Pesche. L'imperatore di Giada lo punì con 800 vergate e lo fece rinascere tra i mortali come uomo-demone di sabbia. Dalla barba rossa,parzialmente calvo,con una collana fatta di teschi porta con se il yueyachan una sorta di doppia falce il che gli da un aspetto ancora più terrificante. All'interno del gruppo è quello più leale al Maestro, dal cuore gentile, inoltre è il più logico ed educato del gruppo (da non credersi se si vede come è stato sviluppato Sha Gojyo XD).

Tang Sanzang

Egli è un monaco buddhista,il cui compito è quello di recuperare dei Sutra dal Tianzhu (antico nome cinese per “India”) per portare il vero Buddhismo anche in Cina. Nel romanzo lo vediamo spesso e volentieri ingenuo, debole che si nasconde dai nemici,incapace di difendersi, insomma una figura patetica (nulla a che vedere col Sanzo della Minekura). Dopo che i suoi due accompagnatori vennero uccisi da dei demoni,dopo la partenza da Chang'an, il Bodhisattva Guanyin decide di aiutarlo a trovare tre esseri sovrannaturali molto potenti (Sun Wukong, Zhu Bajie e Sha Wujing). Durante il viaggio è sempre terrorizzato poiché una leggenda dice che chi consumerà le sue carni diverrà immortale e quindi non stupisce che demoni vari cerchino di divorarlo o di farci sesso (le demonesse).

Bai Long Ma

Pur essendo il destriero di Sanzang, egli è in realtà un principe, per la precisione è il terzo figlio del Re Drago del Mare Occidentale Ao Run e il suo vero nome è Áo Liè. Per colpa di un incendio da lui causato in maniera accidentale e per nulla volontaria, che ha causato la distruzione di una perla data in dono dall'Imperatore di Giada, viene condannato a morte ma l'intervento di Guanyin gli salva la vita. Bandito presso il fiume Yingchou nei monti Shepan e su istruzione di Guanyin, egli dovrà aspettare l'arrivo di un monaco che deve recuperare dei Sutra. Siccome non lo aveva inizialmente riconosciuto, divora il cavallo di Sanzang. Dopo un combattimento contro Sun Wukong nel quale il drago perde, Sun Wukong viene ad apprendere da una divinità della terra che egli è il drago piazzato lì da Guanyin. Alla fine servirà come cavallo di Sanzang per il resto del viaggio, diventando a termine del racconto il Bodhisattva Babu Tianlong Guangli.

Questa è solo un'introduzione molto rapida, vista che m'interessa approfondire meglio le differenze e similitudini che ci sono tra i due gruppi di protagonisti.

[levelingupmychinese]

Semana 2

Oral

Esta semana probé con mi segunda opción como profesora y me ha encantado. No nos hemos pasado media hora hablando de mí, mi vida, mi ciudad, el tiempo que hace, qué he hecho hoy, etc; que siempre me han parecido un temas muy aburridos y básicos. Tenía dos powerpoints con un montón de temas y vocabulario diferentes y hemos hablado un poco de todo. Siempre me ha costado hablar porque me cuesta encontrar a veces qué decir y porque la gramática no me sale de forma natural ni fluida pero para el final de la clase podía soltar frases enteras sin pensar así que estoy muy contenta y ya estoy planificando mis futuras clases con ella. Creo que este aspecto lo tengo cubierto.

Vocabulario nuevo:

- 共享单车(gòng xiǎng dān chē) - (Servicio de) compartir bicicletas

- 后视镜(hòu shì jìng) - Espejo retrovisor

- 补考费(bǔ kǎo fèi) - Coste del examen de recuperación

- s形的道路 (s xíng de dàolù) - Carretera en forma de S

- 续航(xù háng) - Uso/Viaje mucho tiempo

- 路怒症(lù nù zhèng) - Comportamiento agresivo conduciendo

- 烦恼(fán nǎo) - Preocupaciones, preocuparse

- 脱发(tuō fà) - Pérdida de pelo

- 熬夜(áo yè) - Quedarse despierto hasta tarde o toda la noche

- 熊猫眼(xióng māo yǎn) - Ojeras

- 容貌焦虑(róng mào jiāo lǜ) - Ansiedad por el aspecto físico de uno mismo

- 脱单(tuō dān) - Encontrar pareja para uno mismo

- 催婚(cuī hūn) Presionar/Instar a alguien para que se case

- 情人眼里出西施(qíng rén yǎn lǐ chū Xī shī) La belleza está en el ojo de quien mire

- 执子之手, 与子偕老(Zhí zǐ zhī shǒu, yǔ zi xiélǎo) - Cogerte la mano y hacerme viejo contigo (promesa entre amantes)

- 爱屋及乌(ài wū jí wū) - Amar a alguien y a todo lo relacionado (lit. amar la casa y sus cuervos)

- 愿得一心人, 白首不相离(Yuàn dé yīxīn rén, bái shǒu bù xiāng lí) - Deseo amar de todo corazón a una persona y estar juntos hasta la vejez

- 内卷(nèi juǎn) - Competencia es muy extrema

- 平常心(píngchángxīn) - Tomárselo con calma (mente tranquila)

- 家庭财务() - Finanzas familiares

- 彩礼 (cǎilǐ) - Dote a la novia (al casarse el novio da ala familia de la novia dinero o regalos)

- 尽力而为(jìnlì ér wéi) - Dar lo mejor de uno mismo

- 从容淡定(Cóngróng dàndìng) - Calma

Lectura

Esta semana me leí el capítulo 5, sobre el encuentro de Alicia con la oruga. Esta vez lo leí primero sin consultar el diccionario y luego busqué el vocabulario. Lo entendí bastante bien todo, claro que ayuda que me sepa la historia. Esta vez no me he encontrado vocabulario muy interesante.

Vocabulario:

- 毛毛虫(máo mao chóng) - Oruga

- 蝶蛹(dié yǒng) - Crisálida (de mariposa)

- 沉默(chén mò) - Taciturno, silencioso

- 注视(zhù shì) - Mirra con atención

- 慢吞吞(màn tūn tūn) - Lentamente (exasperantemente lento)

- 瞌睡(瞌睡) - Soñoliento

- 眼下(眼下) - Ahora, en este momento

- 严厉(yán lì) - Severo, estricto

- 压根儿(yà gēn r) -Desde el principio/En primer lugar

- 轻蔑(qīng miè) - Desdén

- 可怜巴巴(kě lián bā bā) - Lastimero, patético

- 顺口(shùn kǒu) - Decir algo sin pensar

- 一刹那(yī chà nà) - En un instante

- 端详(duān xiang) - Mirar cuidadosamente

- 猛烈(měng liè) - Fiero, violento/Repentino

- 抓紧时间(zhuā jǐn shí jiān) - Darse prisa, aprovechar el momento

- 立即(lì jí) - Inmediatamente

- 恐惧(kǒng jù) - Miedo, tener miedo

- 弯(wān) - Doblar, doblez

- 鸽子(gē zi) - Paloma

- 呜咽(wū yè) - Sollozar

- 孵蛋(fū dàn) - Incubar (huevo)

- 窝(wō) - Nido

- 摆脱(bǎi tuō) - Librarse de

- 狡辩(jiǎo biàn) - Poner pequeñas objeciones, protestar ligeramente

- 趁机(chèn jī) - Aprovechar una oportunidad

Audio

No lo hice el miércoles como tenía planeado si no domingo a toda prisa.

Vocabulario:

- 偷偷探班(tōu tōu tàn bān) - Secretamente ir al lugar de filmación a visitar un actor (o al lugar de trabajo de alguien)

- 嘲笑(cháo xiào) - Ridiculizar

- 巡逻(xún luó) - Patrullar

- 猛兽(měng shòu) - Bestia

- 道具师(dào jù shī) - Experto en atrezzo

- 匕首(bǐ shǒu) - Daga

- 灯光师(dēng guāng shī) - Experto en iluminación

- 录音师(lù yīn shī) - Experto en grabación de sonido

- 伤口不深(shāng kǒu bù shēn) - La herida no es profunda

- 只要不沾水忌口很快就好了(zhǐyào bù zhān shuǐ jìkǒu hěn kuài jiù hǎole) - Basta que te abstengas de mojarla y rápidamente mejorará

- 狼狈(láng bèi) - En una difícil situación

- 爆料(bào liào) - Exponer en los medios, exclusiva

- 后果(hòu guǒ) - Consecuencias

- 不堪设想(bù kān shè xiǎng) - Inconvenible, impensable, demasiado horrible para mirar

- 犯罪(fàn zuì) - Crimen, cometer un crimen

- 嫌疑人(xián yí rén) - Un sospechoso

- 超级粉丝(chāo jí fěn sī) - Super fan

- 吃水不忘挖井人(chī shuǐ bù wàng wā jǐng rén/)/吃水不忘掘井人(chī shuǐ bù wàng jué jǐng rén) - Al beber agua del pozo, uno nunca debe olvidar quien lo ha cavado (frase hecha)

- 脑子有问题没钱治是吗(nǎo zi yǒu wèn tí méi qián zhì shì ma) - ¿Tienes un problema en el cerebro y no tienes dinero parar curarlo?

- 炫耀(xuàn yào) - Fanfarronear

- 滚蛋(gǔn dàn) - Lárgate

- 毕竟(bì jìng) - Después de todo (análisis final)

- 单纯(dān chún) - simple, puro, no sofisticado

- 羞辱(xiū rǔ) - Humillar

- 您拨打的用户暂时无法接通(nín bō dǎ de yòng hù zàn shí wú fǎ jiē tōng) - El usuario que ha llamado no está disponible temporalmente

Libro de texto

Debería haberlo hecho el martes pero procrastiné hasta hoy (siguiente martes, ha habido puente).

索性(suǒ xìng) - Simplemente, para el caso, ya que estás. Ej. 既然已经做了，索性就把它做完

或许(huò xǔ) - Quizás (versión formal de 也许). Ej. 你或许能帮我—个忙吧?

恰巧(qià qiǎo) - Por casualidad, inesperadamente, por suerte. Ej 恰巧他也不想去

Redacción

La hice una noche a toda prisa y no la edité hasta hoy, tengo pendiente subirla a Journaly. Supongo que podría subirla a Tumblr también aunque sólo sea porque lo estoy usando como 'diario de estudio'.

Resumen de la semana

Estoy al día con Memrise, con Skritter no he sido tan constante. Estoy probando la versión de prueba de Rosetta stone; lo hago sobre todo por su reconocimiento de voz pero no me acaba de convencer, a veces creo que me da por válido algo que no he pronunciado del todo bien.

Esta semana me ha ido aún peor que la anterior. El lunes me leí el capítulo de Alicia y al final conseguí terminar la redacción que tenía pensada para la semana anterior a toda prisa una noche, por lo demás me ha faltado constancia esta semana pero no ha sido un problema de tiempo, creo que necesito encontrar la forma de organizarme mejor y dejar de perder el tiempo en cosas que no me añaden nada y que ni siquiera me gustan. Ayer me daba tanto palo ponerme a limpiar que me puse a mirar Youtube shorts. La mayoría me aburrían pero me sentía tan cansada que prefería hacer eso que limpiar. Hace un tiempo vi en Youtube un video (de Crash course study skills #6) sobre la procrastinación que distinguía entre low-density fun y high-density fun y tuve una especie de epifanía.

"See, a lot of students feel like they have too much work to ever let themselves do anything fun that takes a significant amount of time. [...] The irony is that these same students who are constantly denying themselves that high-density fun are also spending a lot of time checking Facebook, or picking new outfits for their Bitmoji avatars, or browsing dank memes. These things represent low-density fun; they’re more attractive than doing work, and it’s easy to convince yourself that you’re only gonna do them for 5 minutes. But inevitably you do end up spending a ton of time on them – after all, these websites and apps are literally designed from the ground up to be as addictive as possible – and what’s worse, they’re not actually fun. They’re just distractions. And if you waste all your time on them, you leave no time for actual, high-density fun that can act as a true motivator for finishing your work. So the counterintuitive tip here is that you NEED to let yourself have this high-density fun."

Antes de perder el tiempo en Youtube lo perdía en Facebook, me borré el perfil (y no lo eché de menos) y ahora simplemente he cambiado de app. Al final el problema es que procrastino con lo que sea porque tengo cosas que hacer y luego tengo videojuegos/libros/series pendientes que me muero de ganas de empezar pero me contengo porque tengo cosas pendientes (claro que en parte el problema aquí es mi tendencia a obsesionarme y a no dejar las cosas sin terminar). Tengo que encontrar la forma de racionar mi tiempo en Youtube y encontrar un modo alternativo de usar música. Lo ideal sería depender únicamente de mi fuerza de voluntad pero siendo honesta eso no va a pasar, habrá días/momentos que estaré cansada o estresada y haré lo que parezca más fácil, por eso tengo que hacer que a) procrastinar no sea tan fácil/atractivo y b) estudiar no se me haga tan pesado (creando el hábito).

Para la próxima semana

- Tengo que encontrar la forma de evitar perder el tiempo con cosas inútiles: por ejemplo, coger la rutina, poner tiempo a las cosas en las que pierdo el tiempo, dedicar tiempo a cosas que me gusten de verdad (un tiempo previamente definido) para desestresarme y no usar 'low-density fun' como vía de escape, etc.

- Probar si la versión de pago de Rosetta stone vale la pena

- Encontrar otra forma de practicar audio, la que estoy usando es con subtítulos (y sin subtítulos no entendería nada). Tengo que buscar audios acordes a mi nivel y escucharlos primero sin subtítulos ni ayuda y luego revisarlos con subtítulos. Lo ideal sería encontrar un video de Youtube (donde puedo ajustar la velocidad) con subtítulos on/off. Creo que los videos de Mandarin Corner serían perfectos.

[lianiwidjaja-blog]

xǐng zhe xiàng shuì zháo 醒   着  像    睡   着   Awake, like sleeping.   tǎng zhe xiàng sī kǎo 躺   着  像    思 考   Lying down like a seint chén hūn diān dǎo 晨   昏  颠   倒   Morning fainting gǎn qíng tài dān diào 感  情   太  单  调   Feeling too single tone   jìng rán shì fán nǎo 竟   然  是  烦  恼   It's annoyance. rú hé shì hǎo 如 何 是  好   Such as what is good yé xǔ lái zhèn fēng yǔ 也 许 来  阵   风   雨 Also Xu came wind and rain huā xiè mǎn dì 花  谢  满  地 Flowers, thanks, àn rán shén shāng de kùn rǎo 黯 然  神   伤    的 困  扰   The dullness of the trouble Yeah ké yǐ cì jī nà kē 可 以 刺 激 那 颗 Can be to sting that hún hún è  è   浑  浑  噩 噩 It's a bad news. shī qù le liè huǒ 失  去 了 烈  火   Lost, lost, fire. jī qíng de dà nǎo 激 情   的 大 脑   The big brain of passion chuī fēng jiù gǎn mào 吹   风   就  感  冒   Blowing the wind, feeling, feel lín yǔ jiù fā shāo 淋  雨 就  发 烧   Rain burns.   yǒu ài jiù hǎo 有  爱 就  好   With love, that's all. wǒ bú zài táo 我 不 再  逃   I'm not going to run anymore. kōng xū rì zi 空   虚 日 子 Void Day Child zhè yí lù dōu zài áo 这  一 路 都  在  熬 This one road is all in the boil yé xǔ ài qíng jiù shì shú néng shēng qiǎo 也 许 爱 情   就  是  熟  能   生    巧   Also make love is familiar can be made smart   nǐ jué duì xiǎng bú dào wǒ duō kě wàng 你 绝  对  想    不 到  我 多  渴 望   You never want to go to my thirst   ràng shēng huó rǎn shàng yì xiē yán liào 让   生    活  染  上    一 些  颜  料   Let the living dye on a bit of face material   shì hóng chéng huáng huò lán diàn zǐ dōu hǎo 是  红   橙    黄    或  蓝  靛   紫 都  好 Is red orange yellow or blue indigo purple are all good yì quān yi quān de wéi rǎo 一 圈   一 圈   的 围  绕   One circle, one circle, one circle. zhōng yú néng zì zai de tǎn chéng shuō ài nǐ 终    于 能   自 在  的 坦  诚    说   爱 你 Finally, the self-contained frankly said love you huǒ yì diǎn jiù rán shāo 火  一 点   就  燃  烧   Fire, burn, one point.   ké yǐ cì jī nà kē 可 以 刺 激 那 颗 Can be to sting that hún hún è  è   浑  浑  噩 噩 It's a bad news. shī qù le liè huǒ 失  去 了 烈  火   Lost, lost, fire. jī qíng de dà nǎo 激 情   的 大 脑   The big brain of passion chuī fēng jiù gǎn mào 吹   风   就  感  冒   Blowing the wind, feeling, feel lín yǔ jiù fā shāo 淋  雨 就  发 烧   Rain burns.   yǒu ài jiù hǎo 有  爱 就  好   With love, that's all. wǒ bú zài táo 我 不 再  逃   I'm not going to run anymore. kōng xū rì zi 空   虚 日 子 Void Day Child zhè yí lù dōu zài áo 这  一 路 都  在  熬 This one road is all in the boil yé xǔ ài qíng jiù shì shú néng shēng qiǎo 也 许 爱 情   就  是  熟  能   生    巧   Also make love is familiar can be made smart   nǐ jué duì xiǎng bú dào wǒ duō kě wàng 你 绝  对  想    不 到  我 多  渴 望   You never want to go to my thirst   ràng shēng huó rǎn shàng yì xiē yán liào 让   生    活  染  上    一 些  颜  料   Let the living dye on a bit of face material   shì hóng chéng huáng huò lán diàn zǐ dōu hǎo 是  红   橙    黄    或  蓝  靛   紫 都  好 Is red orange yellow or blue indigo purple are all good yì quān yi quān de wéi rǎo 一 圈   一 圈   的 围  绕   One circle, one circle, one circle. zhōng yú néng zì zai de tǎn chéng shuō ài nǐ 终    于 能   自 在  的 坦  诚    说   爱 你 Finally, the self-contained frankly said love you huǒ yì diǎn jiù rán shāo 火  一 点   就  燃  烧   Fire, burn, one point.   wǒ bú zài táo 我 不 再  逃   I'm not going to run anymore. kōng xū rì zi 空   虚 日 子 Void Day Child zhè yí lù dōu zài áo 这  一 路 都  在  熬 This one road is all in the boil yé xǔ ài qíng jiù shì shú néng shēng qiǎo 也 许 爱 情   就  是  熟  能   生    巧   Also make love is familiar can be made smart   nǐ jué duì xiǎng bú dào wǒ duō kě wàng 你 绝  对  想    不 到  我 多  渴 望   You never want to go to my thirst   ràng shēng huó rǎn shàng yì xiē yán liào 让   生    活  染  上    一 些  颜  料   Let the living dye on a bit of face material   shì hóng chéng huáng huò lán diàn zǐ dōu hǎo 是  红   橙    黄    或  蓝  靛   紫 都  好 Is red orange yellow or blue indigo purple are all good yì quān yi quān de wéi rǎo 一 圈   一 圈   的 围  绕   One circle, one circle, one circle. zhōng yú néng zì zai de tǎn chéng shuō ài nǐ 终    于 能   自 在  的 坦  诚    说   爱 你 Finally, the self-contained frankly said love you huǒ yì diǎn jiù rán shāo 火  一 点   就  燃  烧   Fire, burn, one point.   huǒ yì diǎn jiù rán shāo 火  一 点   就  燃  烧   Fire, burn, one point.

[ros13pos13]

Áo-Liè has me in a chokehold I LOVE this ditsy little guy 😭😭😭

[ros13pos13]

More Áo-Liè I love him so much