#AND MEI IS JUST ALWAYS THERE FOR MK WHEN HE NEEDS HER IN ALL THIS CRAZY MONKIE WORLD AND THEY TRUST EACH OTHER SO IMPLICITLY

[angstandhappiness]

AAAAH LOVE THEM BOUNCING OFF EACH OTHER AND GIVING MEI THE CONFIDENCE TO BLOOM

APPARENTLY IT’S INTERNATIONAL FRIENDS DAY AND I JUST HAPPENED TO WRITE A LITTLE FICLET ABOUT MEI AND MK OFF OF AN IDEA I HAD ABOUT THEIR FRIENDSHIP there was more i kinda wanted to add cause it felt slightly off to me and I wasn’t going to post it, BUT HECK IT HAVE SOME BEST FRIENDS CONTENT HAPPY INTERNATIONAL FRIENDS DAY 

Hype Man

Mei didn’t think all that highly of herself for a dragon.

Her parents had tried to instill some of that pride in her, a dragon descendant of oceans, she had a tall standing heritage to be proud of, but it mainly just resulted in her feeling inadequate. Like she could never quite reach as amazing as every other one of her ancestors, all dragons. Something about her felt different, felt wrong. Her family came from the ocean, but Mei felt like she was burning from the inside out some days.

Keep reading

[starrclown]

☆ LMK headcannons before I go to sleep ☆

Ao Lie has a BIG smile because of him being a horse. He also has super sharp teeth because he's a dragon as well. This results in a HUGE smiled with razor sharp teeth that most people don't like.

Mei has a smaller smile with duller teeth because of how far down the generational line she is. She also has smaller horns and very few scales.

Tang is SUPER competitive in games. Like HARD core competitive.

Macaque has SERIOUS resting bitch face. He looks made all the time besides when he's with Wukong or the monkies.

Mk didn't know what kind of relationship Wukong and the monkeys had so when the little ones called him "Dad" and "Grandpa" instead of "King", it confused the hell out of him.

Mk also didn't know that Redson was Wukong uncle till Wukong casually dropped it in a training session.

Wukong is Redsons godfather.

Macaque hates having long hair because it makes him too hot for his liking. Hell cut it if it gets past the bottom of his neck.

Sandy has a fluffy orange cat and named him "Wukong". He has also done this with Mk, Mei, Tang, Pigsy, and recently, Redson.

Redson loves ice cream but he has to eat it super quick or it will melt.

Wukong is SEVERELY claustrophobic for obvious reasons. DBK is also claustrophobic, but to a lighter sense.

Macaque uses corny jokes and flirts on Wukong and somehow Wukong finds it charming.

In the battlefield Wukong is elegant and precise, in his normal life he slams his hip into ever corner possible.

Chang'e is NOT a lightweight. She could drink for hours and only be buzzed.

Wukong hides under Chang'es counter so that way he can still be on the show but not be on camera. He likes to luck bowls she's not using anymore or hand her ingredients. He's her "special tester" to make sure the foods good. If you look closely enough you can see his hand popping up.

Wukong likes to compare hand sizes alot because of how diffrent all his friends are. Most of the time his friends hands swallow him because obviously he's alot smaller, but Macaque's and Mk's hands aren't much bigger than his.

Mei would dox you if she felt like you deserve it.

Wukong found the camera Mei placed on him and got rid of it immediately. Redson copied this.

Both Wukong and Redson have curly hair but they straighten it.

Pigsy is the smallest in his family. His mom, dad, grandma, Tang, and Mk are all bigger than him.

Tang has a older sister. He also has a few cousins. His family is LOADED.

Tangs mom was disapproving of Pigsy. Tangs dad LOVES him and Mk. Opposite on Pigsys side. His dad HATES tang but his mom loves him.

Sandy is a active reader and has many favorite books. He likes to talk to Wukong or Tang about them.

Mk has to have braces until he was about 20.

Mei international dyed her hair to make her parents mad but she atcually ended up liking it so she kept it.

Pigsy is Mks favorite parent. He is not shy about this fact and will say it when asked.

Redson is very blunt. He's not always trying to hurt your feelings, sometimes it's just hit tone making him sound meaner than what he's trying to convey.

Sandy is still looking for Hunstman.

Wukong does nit care what gender is. He doenst care if you think he's a boy, girl, or anything else. As far as he's concerned he's just a monkey and that's all that matters.

Wukong is extremely warm so the monkeys (and Macaque when Wukong kets him in his bed) snuggles up to him and grabs him so they can feel the warmth.

Mayor bits ice cream. He also bites jawbreakers.

Azure eats like he just got out of prison. Wukong is a slower eater and makes fun of him for his quick pace.

Yellow Tusk needs glasses but he won't wear them.

Peng is the kinda gut where THEY can make a joke insulting their friends but will get PISSED if you try and do it too.

Nezha has a HORRENDOUS sleep squedule that he picked up from both his job and Wukong.

Pif snaps more than she'd like. Things make her frustrated quickly and she snaps because of it. She's yelled at Redson more than she'd like to because of it. Redaon never knows what to expect feom her so he's very careful not to make her angry. DBK isn't much better.

Macaque makes jokes about Wukongs weight and him getting bigger but he doenst like it when he can hear Wukong critize his body. He likes how soft Wukong is.

Wukong has always been chubby exept when he was on the journey and starving. That kinda skinny wasn't okay.

Wukong likes to mess up Tangs hair cause he finds it funny that Tang looks exactly like his master just with hair. Tang let's him do it cause he know it makes him feel better.

Nezha crashes at Wukong's place when he's tired of work. Wukong offers him a room but he normally falls asleep to quickly on the couch.

I'm so sleepy yall but at least I got motzeralla sticks today.

These are always so fun to make.

[totallynotokguys]

Lego Monkie Kid Rewatch: Season 3

Episode 9, The King, the Prince, the Shadow Part 2/2

"Does anyone else feel like-" "We've been here before? Yeah. Its weird, right? But- I ah- know I haven't." "Me neither. And yet this place feels so familiar." "Nah. Not me, man. This is all new to me."

Remember when I said that a lot of characters keep wrongly comparing MK to Wukong, like MK is supposed to be the next Wukong. Well…. that wasn't just at the characters. That was at us the fans too. Up until this season, I too just thought of MK as the next Monkey King. It just felt right. Pigsy was Zhu Bajie, Tang Tang Sanzang, Mei as Ao Lie, and Sandy as Sha Wujing. Simplistically, I assumed MK was supposed to be this new version's Monkey King. But he's not. He's not like the rest. He's not part of their story- at least he wasn't supposed to be.

MK was never meant to be here... to experience this, or them. And this season is when the show really starts opening our eyes to it.

(Also… I think this proves pretty definitively that Sandy is not the still alive Sha Wujing. With his flashback in To Catch a Leaf, I was so sure. I mean, look at those old looking weaponry?!)

(But unless Sha Wujing has amnesia that conveniently lets him forget the Samadhi Fire incident, than he really is just the reincarnation instead of the original.)

"It is on brand for you to have a worse version of everyone elses powers."

Ouch. Also… is this a hint at Macaque having been a clone of Wukong once upon a time? Like, in Shadow Play, Macaque chooses to feature a lot of Wukong and his clones for some reason, especially when speaking of the Warrior and Hero being a team. Strangely, some of those clones look an awful lot like Macaque.

Or could this be a hint at season 5 where its revealed Macaque's shadow powers are more like certain other being who shall not be named for sake of spoilers?

Loud Annoying Wukong: "What? You got what you wanted, didn't you? Not going to gloat, monologue a little bit before scurrying off to your master?"

Inner Panicking Wukong: "Ah drat! He's totally gonna know those are fake. Quick! I gotta distract him into wasting more time!"

"Wukong!"

I'm pretty sure that's Ne Zha's favourite word. He says it almost every second. Might even be his catch phrase.

"Oh, so the piece of paper just magically made a bunch of light!" "That's exactly what happened and you know it!"

Ah, I love these two.

"Stop! If you hurt that kid I'll-" "What. Make things worse for MK?"

Like I said last time, bad hero, good mentor. He cares about MK more than anything else right now. This same kind of protective passion has happened before, back in the Journey to the West. Wukong is good at devoting himself to one person, and tolerating everyone else for the sake of that person.

"Glowy mystic symbol thingies are always never good!"

Proceeds to touch said glowy mystic symbol thingies.

AWWWW! Tang trying to protect Mei!

I love the majority of the adults in this show. They do their best to help the kiddos and protect them, even when those kiddo's are typically more powerful than them. Tang, Pigsy, and Sandy understand that young one's always need to be cared for.

THIS SHOT THIS SHOT THIS SHOT!

I totally missed this shot the first time around! OH MY GOSHNESS SANDY I LOvE YOU!

Once again Macaque forgets about Mei.

I'm starting to see why she and Macaque were put in a team together in season 4. She is, strangely enough, his blind spot.

And once again I am shaking my head at the way the show treated Macaque's supposed redemption arc. Look at the way he's treating her, the way he's treating them all! The fear and pain he causes them!

Bashes MK repeatedly into the ground until he is unconscious.

Threatens Mei's life while holding her by the throat.

Forces the parental figures to watch their kids get ruined.

Forces Tang to choose the life of his friends over the sake of the world.

The trauma this guy is causing them- and they just never bring it up? Mei should have held the largest grudge Katara style until Macaque made it up to her! Tang should be absolutely afraid to go near Macaque after the moral trauma the simian caused him. Pigsy should throw a spoon at him every time he darkens his door way with all his ping pong master might. Sandy should constantly keep Macaque between himself and the kids as a protective barrier everytime the shadow comes around.

Until Macaque makes it up to them, apologizes and tries to do right by them all... they should have continued to treat him with fear, anger, and wariness.

"But he was under LBD control' you say. 'He had no choice."

No he wasn't. This threatening, this danger he puts them in? That was for his own gain. Macaque wanted the Samadhi Fire to escape LBD. He was in control of his actions here. He was going to take the power needed to break her control over him and then dip, leaving the mortals to parish under LDB's rule. Sure, he was probably in pain and obviously scared for his life- but that doesn't excuse the choices he made and the trauma he caused.

It's like Macaque said last episode. You have to look out for yourself, no one else.

[itsabouttimex2]

What kind of yandere are they?

Explanations below/Click for higher res

MK has been through so very much. The glamour of being a hero wore off quick, leaving him with many insecurities and doubts. Giving him someone innocent and kind to protect stabilizes him somewhat, but makes him more vicious in an effort to ensure their safety.

Sun Wukong thinks as something worth protecting. You give him a purpose and a good reason to dust off his old bones and return to fighting- all he asks in turn is that you stay on Flower Fruit Mountain with him. And the world getting it’s greatest hero back is a worthy trade for your lack of freedom, isn’t it? (The most likely to kidnap you, tied with Macaque.)

Ne Zha uses you as motivation for his fervent service. If the celestial realm has you, then it’s clearly worth protecting. If someone so good and kind resides there, then why should he waver in his duty? This extends to personal fights in your name- he rarely comes out unbloodied.

———————————————————————

The Mayor keeps a close on eye on you, always watching from the shadows. You probably have a tie to the Lady Bone Demon in some way, an heir to her blood or powers. He cultivates your misery by pulling strings and arranged misfortunes- the fact that no one stops him or saves you is proof enough (to him) that the world is rotted to the core. Proof that it needs to be destroyed. Proof that you need something, or someone better- maybe him?

You justify the Lady Bone Demon’s ideals. She watches as you suffer and break, your kind soul perpetually punished for good deeds and unyielding optimism. If you trust people, they betray you. If you help people, they hurt you. Your life is proof to her that the world is cruel, and needs to be wiped clean. So she obsessively watches from afar, her mind constantly plagued with thoughts of you, and thoughts of ending your suffering. (The most manipulative yandere on this list.)

Azure Lion sees you cast from the Celestial Realms, thrown out for daring to try and improve the lives of mortals without approval from the Celestial Bureaucracy. Not only are you a perfect member for his brotherhood (and he will get you to join), but you also reaffirm to Azure what he’s fighting for.

———————————————————————

Zhu Baije is a very flawed man. By his own nature, he’s something of a troublemaker. You work to counteract many of the problems he causes, working hard to ensure that no fissure in the group grows too big. It’s easy to think of you as someone worthy of worship- you seem to have an endless well of patience and kindness. He just wishes that you gave a little less of it to people who aren’t him.

Ao Lie watches you close. He sees how you struggle to pull everyone together even when things are at their absolute worst, and respects your efforts. He sees a person always willing to stand up for other and for what’s right, never allowing yourself to stand idly by. The harder you fight to mend rifts between people, the more admirable you become to him.

———————————————————————

Mei just wants you- she doesn’t bother thinking it through or wondering exactly why. You’re nice and you’re good, so you’re hers. Her parents are fully supportive of her attempts to ‘adopt’ you, and have a room set aside for the day they ‘bring you home’.

Pigsy doesn’t think of his obsession as a hero, warrior, or soldier. He instead views them as a child in need or guidance and protection, the sort who would be benefit nicely from being taken under his wing- likely enlisting Tang and MK to help him corral you into his care. (The most likely to succeed in his goal, tied with Sanzang)

———————————————————————

Princess Iron Fan doesn’t think much of you at first, viewing you as a little more than a disposable pawn. But, to her surprise- you perform far more admirably than expected, so keeping you both alive and close becomes the rational course of action. She gets used to using you, then gets used to you, then wants you. And Iron Fan knows how to get what she wants.

Macaque at first is just using you, stringing you along. He trains you to be more like him, feeds you lies about Wukong and MK, gets you to hate them by filling your head with falsehoods. And somewhere along the line, he ends up getting attached. Instead of getting better, he doubles down on his manipulations, intent on keeping you close. (The most likely to kidnap you, tied with Wukong.)

———————————————————————

Tang Sanzang sees so much potential in you. You’re a feral little thing, tucked away under bushes and baring your teeth at him- a child acting like a wild animal. His holy heart aches for you, thinking of the struggles you must’ve endured through your life. With a pair of heavenly circlets for your wrists, Sanzang inducts you along for his pilgrimage, intent on bettering you bit by bit- by force, if he must.

Expect lots of tutoring and life lessons, all delivered with endless patience and a paternal attitude. Teaching you to read and write and behave might be harder than pulling teeth, but it will be done. Not to mention the four other pilgrims whom he positions as your ‘brothers’, who adore and respect him, each one swayed by his words of what’s ‘best for you’. (The most likely to succeed in his goal, tied with Pigsy.)

Tang probably mirrors Pigsy in his acquiring of a child- he finds some dirty little waif on the streets and takes them in as his own. Something ancient and repeating calls from within him, pushing him to take this little unfortunate thing into his care, to push them to be ever better- an inner voice calling for him to be kind and merciful. And really, who is he to deny such a kind urge?

Master Subodhi is a wonderful judge of character, capable of picking out both the flaws and strengths of a person. You could be troubled and impatient, or rude and reticent. All that matters is there’s true good inside you- however embryonic it may be. Through strict guidance- and with a not insignificant amount of amusement at the shenanigans you cause with his other students- Subodhi manages to slowly molds you into a better and stronger person. Mind you, all of this is through the masterful use of manipulation. Expect his other students to help him reign you in and chip away at your resolve to leave. (The most likely to have an obsession that’s stronger than him.)

———————————————————————

Sandy thinks that you’re simply wonderful. You’ve been a constant supportive force in his life, encouraging his therapy sessions, teaching him how to brew tea, vouching for him to shelters across the city. With your support, Sandy slowly becomes a better person, leaving behind most of his obsessive and possessive behavior behind. There are lingering traces, hints of overprotectiveness and denial of consent, holding you too tight in his arms and not letting go or slipping sleeping pills into your tea… but even those habits lessen in frequency and severity.

That, or you might be a child of his that he wants to be a better role model for. Sandy wants you to be happy! He wants you to be confident! He wants you to have a good dad! So he almost unhealthily works to improve himself, finding positive ways to channel his most toxic and unhealthy traits, hoping to become someone worthy of your love. (The least likely to hurt you.)

Everyone else treats Sha Wujing like a monster, hurling wicked names and cruel words. ‘Demon’ and ‘fiend’, they decree, and Wujing has long internalized their words as truth. He’s plenty happy to act on his learned monstrosity, lashing out at any who draw near- until you come along with a simple compliment and an admission of weakness. You aren’t strong enough to fight, not quick enough to run from him- but you’re kind enough that he doesn’t think to butcher you. Growing obsessed with you amplified some of his worst traits while also teaching him about unconditional love and support, the dichotomy of equal progression preventing any true growth for a time. Once Sanzang comes along, Wujing has to think long and hard on who he is and what he’s done and who he wants to be and what he wants to do- and decides to be better for you.

There aren’t many people that the Demon Bull King cares for, but you’ve managed to worm your way into his stony heart anyhow. It’s awkward to try and be open with someone so squishy and frail, but he makes a token effort to be less intimidating and overbearing so you aren’t as scared. It’s not easy settling you into his family (especially with his son now battling you for his attention), but he’s sure you’ll get used to it eventually. Iron Fan is more on board with your induction than her son, coming to view you as a lovable; if weak, second child. Red Son refrains from outright violence, but is notably icy over the sudden competition for affection. Still, in the strangest of ways- it’s family.

———————————————————————

Chang’e has been alone for a very long time. There’s no real way to know exactly how long, but isolation has taken it’s toll. Is it so bad to want someone to dote on and nourish? No! So you and her should be family! She’s even more insistent if Y/N is leporine in some way- the two of you are meant to be family! A loving lunar goddess and her perfect little lop, together on the moon. To her, it sounds like something out of a fairy tale. It might be more of a saccharine nightmare to her captive, though. (The most capable of keeping Y/N from escaping.)

The Scorpion Queen really just wants a friend, no matter what it takes to get one. Loneliness has gnawed away at her inhibitions and morals, leading her to snatch up the sweetest looking person around and haul them back to her castle. She’s not above using poison to keep you complement, brewing up several blends from her own venom. Paralytics, sedatives, you name it. One quick sting and you’re helpless in the Queen’s arms, ready to be pampered and protected. After she’s done cleaning and patching your new wound, of course.

Kui Mulang has been waiting for his lover for so very long… and then you come stumbling in, wide-eyed and unaware of the dangers that the demon possesses. You’re a funny little mortal, unworthy of having your weak soul devoured- not only would it not expand his lifespan too much, but he fears it might even make him weaker. Instead, he forces you to become a cute little companion/pet and regales you with tales of his lover, filling your ears with descriptions of her beauty and kindness. Don’t get the wrong idea, though- you aren’t making him a better person. He’s just found one single person to not be totally awful to. (The most likely to replace his obsession.)

———————————————————————

Syntax admires your work from afar, picking apart every bit of tech you manufacture. He’ll install dozens of cameras across your home just for the joy of watching you scramble to disable or destroy them. With the sheer volume of spyware distributed, it’s inevitable that you miss at least a few, allowing the spiderized man to maintain constant surveillance. He inducts your work into his own, picking apart the blueprints he’s stolen from you, admiring the many lines of code you’ve written. There’s a new camera in your house each day, slowly stealing away all privacy. The concept of a ‘blindspot’ doesn’t exist in Syntax’s carefully curated world- no closet, corner, or crawl space is safe from his leering eyes. You’re then subjected to 24/7 surveillance, your life becoming an ever-present livestream on the screens of Syntax’s machines. (The least likely to personally interact with his obsession.)

Huntsman has never seen a worthier adversary. You match him blow for blow and thwart his traps at each turn. He has to keep upping the ante as you escape his clutches, an ever evolving quarry worthy of pursuit. The biggest (and only) dilemma he has in regards to his obsession is whether he should taxidermy or cage you. Either way, you’ll make a nice trophy. (The most likely to kill you.)

It takes a saint to gain the Ink Curse’s attention. You have to be the most wonderful goody-two shoes darling in the world, a person who’s mature and rational and kind and responsible and generous and wise and loving. If you can manage all of that, along with having no major character flaws or massive mistakes in your past… then you have their attention. It is the worst prize you could have ever received.

Alternatively, be a child who gets trapped in the scroll. There’ll be a mocking form of pity to every interaction, but the Curse might try to mold you into an equally brutal punisher of sins. After all, what else can you do? You’re stuck, aren’t you? Get used to the company, kiddo. (The most likely to break you.)

Yellowtusk would happily speak with you until all the rivers of the world run dry. The two of you match wits in civil debates, opposing each other’s viewpoints and arguments with fervor. No stakes, no hatred, no grudges- just debate for the sake of debate. You grow together, sharing your wells of knowledge and expanding the breadth of your wisdom side by side. His obsession with you is softer than most, quelled by quick chats and simple skinship - but it’s obsession all the same, waiting to spiral out of control.

———————————————————————

Red Son’s pride is an irrefutable aspect of him. The half-demon views himself as superior to all but a select few- and you, unfortunately, do not fall into that group. Red thinks of you as something akin to a cherished pet, worthy of care and companionship, but not freedom or respect. He could control almost every aspect of your life if he so wanted, but that’s more trouble than he desires. If you behave properly, Red allows you to dress yourself and have a small collection of personal possessions. Also, expect him to personally forge you a tracking collar emblazoned with his family’s insignia. (He truly does care about you- deep, deep, deep down in his heart. But you’re still lesser than him.)

If you happen to be his sibling, though, his treatment of you becomes more bearable. He’s still insanely possessive and domineering, but there’s more respect for you as a person.

The Spider Queen also thinks of you as a pet, a cute little thing to dress up and lock in chains. You make the most wonderful decoration for her throne room, shaking in the corner with a shackle clasped around your wrist. Everything you wear is produced from her own silken webs, everything you eat is caught and killed with her own two hands. If you step too far out of line, expect your next meal to be the corpse of a loved one.

Peng looks at you with some strange mixture of pity and amusement. (There’s some genuine care in there, but they’d never admit it.) You’re the smallest and youngest of the Brotherhood, with naivety and kindness to match. They find it funny to toy with you in a variety of ways, though they take care to never truly cause harm. Ex: Knocking into you for the sole purpose of tripping you up, biting back laughs as you apologize for ‘not paying attention.’ Peng will ‘forgive’ what you perceive as a personal mistake, hauling you up and dusting you off before sending you on your way. You’re a fun toy. A devoted sibling. A cute little time-killer. And, somehow- the person they cherish above all else.

[angstandhappiness]

NICE

Cake duo to me screams the "Will never use their actual name it's always insult but screams of fondness" and the gossip duo who talk over their favorite drink about the antics the others get up to. Remix are the "You sure this is a good idea?" "Trust me" and then 3 explosions happened only 1 of them was their fault

No cause you’re right about both of them

Zhizhu (Spider Queen) just calls Wukong anything but his name and vice versa (when Wukong called her “spider princess” and she immediately corrected him? siblings). But then Wukong also lets Zhizhu drop by his temple + mountain and they both just gossip together. Hell I’m sure he tells her about Macaque and she just goes, “Oh your ex-something?” “Friend.” “Sure—does he still do that stupid ass laugh?” and they both just cackle and laugh about it and it genuinely cheers him up/distracts him. She’s fond of him and takes care of him so he’s grateful for her..

And then Mei and MK are just causing mischief and MK asks her, “When have I ever done anything bad before?” and Mei begins listing things from alphabetical order as they try not to die in a demon fight lmao

amazing amazing

[legomonkiefics]

LMK Characters As Queerplatonic Partners (GN Reader, Pt 1)

Genres: Platonic || They/them pronouns for reader || No warnings needed

A/N: not all the characters in the below image will be used, it's just a good image to display the whole cast

✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁⋆˚｡⋆୨🌈୧⋆˚｡⋆✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖

MK:

- MK seems like the type to be very physically affectionate with everyone, including his friends (if you're alright with that) so he'll likely always have an arm around you or keep contact with you in some way

- You get invited to every hangout he has with Mei and you quickly become a solid member of their chaotic dynamic. MK even offers to get you a similar jacket to theirs with whatever design you want

- You've got complete free range to MK's room, snacks, and all his collectibles. He trusts you enough to give you slightly more privileges than Mei (like infinite sleepovers)

- He might whine about it from time to time, but he genuinely appreciates if you make sure he's taking care of himself while being a hero

- He brings MOUNTAINS of snacks for movie nights or marathon binges and always tries to retrain himself from eating too many of your favorites

Mei:

- She hypes you up so much. Almost everything you do she gives full enthusiastic support on, and even offers to livestream whenever you wanna do something particularly cool

- She offers to give you lessons on her motorcycle with a customized helmet for you

- She tries to make sure you're always having fun, but she knows how to dial it back when things seem to be getting out of hand and will get protective of you in an instant

- She gets less worried when you visit her home than she does with others cause she trusts you to be careful and respectful. Her parents really like you as well and are supportive of you two

Red Son:

- The best way to sum it up is he's really trying. Affection in general isn't something he's used to, so receiving support and understanding from you is something he might not seem to appreciate initially

- With time, he learns to relax around you and see you as a big pillar of support in his life. Truth be told, he was always a little worried that his temper would drive others away. Having you around means a lot to him

- His frustration is nowadays directed at others, being protective on your behalf and commanding others to respect you

- Always offers to do things for you, uses pampering as a form of affection and will indulge you within reason

Wukong:

- He honestly hadn't ever heard of the term before, but he's glad to try it out with you

- He's really missed his Journey companions, so having someone he's so close with and can feel vulnerable around fills a long-lingering need

- He let's you touch or play with basically any artifact you can find around his home, though he might occasionally plop a baby monkey on your lap to keep you from getting bored

- He wants you to go basically everywhere with him and be a travel buddy whenever you're both out together, it reminds him of the Pilgrims and brings him comfort

Macaque:

- It takes him a really long time to feel comfortable enough to warm up to the idea, but once he gets used to you, he's realizing just how much he missed being this close to someone

- He's surprisingly clingy, even if he'll never admit it or try to act like he's too independent to need contact. In reality he really likes if you're always close by him

- He can get a little wary of you at times due to past experiences, but at the end of the day he's learning to trust again, and your support means the world to him

- Usually gives you a sort of starring role in some of his shadow plays, but he'll try to be coy and say it's just a character inspired off of you or a coincidence

Chang'e:

- Loves absolutely every second that you visit. She tries to show you all around the moon, everywhere she's made a home for herself during her time up there

- Generally very sweet and supportive, but she will gently sit you down and talk to you if she feels like you're maybe getting ahead of yourself

- Takes a lot of care into making sure you're taking care of yourself, she insists a lot on making your every meal, which are usually made extra special

- Sometimes pushes back working on her show if it means spending more time with you. The moon is rather lonely, so even if she seems happy and upbeat, there's an undeniable relief at having you around

[menaceoffandoms]

LMK analysis rant: Mei

I said I was gonna do this and I'm keeping to my word! The only thing that may stop me is my procrastinating... and the fic I'm slowly writing but uhhhhh-

ANYWAY- We're here to talk about Mei, our favourite white horse dragon pepper girl!

Mei stands out as the most different from her inspiration, something the writers perfectly portray in the yellow-robed demon episode of s4, which is likely to do with how little they had to go off of. Despite being one of the pilgrims in jttw, Ao Lie dose very little in the novel. His most notable chapters being when he's introduced and when the group faces the yellow-robed demon, which is why we met him in that memory in the scroll. Combined with my belief that Mei isn't a reincarnation of Ao Lie -- just his descendent -- means that Mei is one of the most unique characters in the entire show.

There's just less source material for her to draw from, it let's the writers have more fun and do more things. It's not that they don't make the others characters unique -- they like to play very fast and loose with things over all -- but Mei feel like her own complete and original character. She's inspired by Ao Lie in the same way Mk is inspired by Monkie King basically and she all the better for it.

Being the female lead (isn't it interesting how most of the female characters in this show are villans?), Mei is a refreshingly strong, confident girl who begins the show as the most powerful cast member. Being a descendent of the great dragon gives her amazing powers that no other cast members have, a birth right that leads to her being the most protective of her friends and the first to help out in any fight.

What she has in power, however, she lacks in experience. Mei has no mentor -- other than her parents, but I believe its safe to assume they weren't very focused on teaching her combat -- which leads her to trust her gut more, rush into things and learn through observation, like when she mimics what her great x1000 uncle did in s3.

Overall Mei is an excitable, energetic and loving person with a "You only live once" kinda attitude, for lack of a better explanation. Even still, she has her own insecurities and flaws which make her all the more interesting. Due to the shows run time, Mei and many of the other main characters don't really get explored as much as Mk, however what we do see of these struggles and fears is incredibly interesting even on a surface level.

Her tendency to rush head first into danger without first examining the situation or creating a plan, truthfully, tends to work out for her, but it can't always. It's something shown perfectly in s4, when Mei is the only member of the group to not get a star from Master Subohdi, however what a lot of people seem to miss is how Mei actually did earn that star eventually.

When they leave the temple and head to the celestial realm to try and stop Azure, Mei leads them there with no plan at all. As such, they fail and need to be saved by Mk. Faced with proof of Subohdi's criticism, Mei makes the more important amendment to Mk's plan in the s4 special. I don't think we've even seen Mei make a serious plan until this point, which feeds back in to another one of her flaws: being unable to take things seriously.

This isn't something I see said about Mei often, but when watching her character I think it's externally obvious. Don't get me wrong, Mei can be serious, but usually only in moments of vulnerability or high stress. For example: when talking with her pearents, after she gained the Samahdi fire and whilst imprisoned by the Yellow-robed demon.

I think this flaw is Mei's own version of Mk playing dumb. They both behave this way to lessen the emotional impact of serious things, to protect themselves and help those around them deal with trauma or difficult topics. Mei and Mk really are two sides of the same coin and I'd love for them to do more with that in the show.

Going back to Mei's parents, one of her biggest struggles is reconciling who she is with who she's meant to be. She is a noble dragon, a descendent of the great dragon of the West Sea and practically the successor to Ao Lie. It's a lot to live up to and -- evident in episode 3 of season 1; Welcome home -- she doesn't believe she dose.

Mei is confident in her abilities, she's sure of her strength and quick to help those around her, but in the face of her legacy she stands uncertain. It's another thing her and Mk have in common, though in vastly different flavours, and it's interesting how this legacy colours Mei as a character.

She wields the dragon blade, proving herself as a worthy part of her family and gaining the approval of her parents, however the stark difference between her and the rest of her clan is more blatant than ever. We see this perfectly in season 3 when they visit the great Dragon of the East Sea, Mei being put into fancy clothes she instantly ruins in order to have a place to hold her sword. She fights against her uncle, fights against her family, because she knows they'll never understand her. But even still, she knows she's still one of them and she's so proud to be.

Becoming the vessel of the Samahdi fire is only more proof of Mei's legacy and connection to her family. It gives her a moment of pure vulnerability where she vents her frustrations and fears before rushing away, wanting nothing more than to protect the people she cares about.

When Red Son finds her she's still serious, but even with just a basic understanding of the fire within her Mei falls back to her normal nature; a silly excitable girl not taking things seriously. We see this after Red Son attacks her with the spears and when she's eating later on, but even if her attitude doesn't show it, she's still listening and taking the training seriously. She just needs to be silly so she won't freak out again.

Since we're on the topic of the Samahdi fire, I think most people can agree that the way it was handled post s3 was very poor. With only one mention of it in s4, by Master Subohdi no less, I assumed that the fire had been resealed, this time correctly. Something that dangerous should be locked up, even if a capable wielder is around. It would also prevent power creep and stop the show from having another Wukong predicament, by which I mean a character so powerful they need to find a way to prevent them from trivialising whatever threat they have to face in the plot. Wukong will get his own post soon don't you worry...

Instead, we learn in s5 that Mei still has the fire, she just kinda forgot? She learned to fully master it when breaking out of LBDs mech, so since the fire was no longer a raging uncontrollable inferno she just didn't realise it was still there... for an entire season. Yeah it feels lazy and honestly is probably the worse written choice the show has even made. Even still, it dose lead to a very interesting and in character moment for Mei.

When attempting to seal the willow wisp with Red Son, Mei loses her confidence, believing that she lost the Samahdi fire and thinking she's lacking. Mk getting Monkie Kings powers was one thing, but the rest of her friends now having cool weapons and magic? If their all so strong and only getting stronger, then what's the point in Mei? She was the strongest but now she might be the weakest, and that terrifies her cause if she's weak she can't protect people. How can she act when she's powerless to do so?

This dilemma is quickly resolved by Red Son telling her she's had the fire the whole time, amending it's use to Mei's lightning motif she's had since s1 -- I know fire benders in ATLA use lighting but come on -- and basically saying she's been using the fire the whole time. It takes away from Mei's whole struggle to be honest, but I do think there's potential for her to relearn this now tamed Samahdi fire so she can better use it. Just depends if the show wants to do that...

Moving on from my thinly veiled complaints about season 5 (I like it I swear but it is the weakest seasons to me so far), let's talk about Mei's role in the group a bit. Aside from being the token girl, she's also Mk's best friend and the only other character his age and acts around the same age as the shows target audience. Mk's the main character and leader, Tang is the lazy historian smart guy, Sandy the loveable giant, Pigsy the cynical brute and Mei's youthful and silly power house.

I would love to go into some narrative tropes, specifically the 5 man band since jttw is one of the primary bases of the trope, but I've realised I have far too many thoughts about that to fit here. This is the 21sh paragraph and I'm sure at least some of this is a mess, but I hope I'm getting my point across! Overall, Mei is an extremely compelling character how often gets side-lined due to run time and other stuff, but is honestly one of my favourite characters in the show.

[googleitlol]

If Dove's store went into the Lmk universe/storyline, how whould dove react to Mk? And Wukong being put into another circlet??

I'm sorry for how off the rails this ask is going to get, I'm including a lot of other stuff besides your questions cuz I've already thought about this a lot.

@marcu-bug and I have brought it up to each other before, and in LMK… Dove is reincarnated. Will I explain why?

…Not yet :D

For this, Dove is sort of like a maternal figure to MK (He's got so many dads, why not add a mom friend?). I have a oneshot planned where I'll go more into her character, but I imagine in the lmk universe, she’d be a paramedic that usually stops by Pigsy’s for lunch. Dinner too if she’s had a long day. Which is most days.

She definitely gets a lot of those ‘worried-parent’ feelings around MK and Mei, with how often they go jumping at the chance to do dumb shit. She’s seen a lot of things, but dear lord do those to take the cake for number of calls she’s had to respond to. Actually, that’s probably how she first discovered the noodle shop, responding to a call Pigsy made when Mei took MK for a ride on her motorcycle and they crashed. I imagine like an old bartender, Pigsy would listen to her rants about her shift with Tang enjoying a bowl next to her. Being a paramedic is tough, having her gift is helpful but sometimes Dove is running into hostile situations on the job. Sometimes she sees something that shakes her, but Pigsy and Tang are there to listen at the end of the day. It also helped her to unwind by hearing Tang tell MK all about the Journey to the West and the Monkey King. It'd be a lie to say she wasn't a little intrigued by his stories, just a bit.

She joins the monkie gang when the pilot begins and helps out when she can, and funnily enough, Red Son gets pretty uncomfortable around her. Not that she gets to join her friends too often, and for a very specific reason. Sun Wukong. At first, Dove thinks he's a generally cold guy, he's always on his mountain, doesn't socialize much, and he's pretty standoff-ish around her. But after seeing how he is with MK, she quickly realizes that isn't the case.

Okay, he's just an ass, then. A confusing one, at that.

It seems like Monkey King will do whatever it takes to avoid her, but at the same time, he pushes himself into her life in the most frustrating ways imaginable. Nearly anytime she's invited to do anything fun with her friends or go on any sort of adventure, she gets a call from her building manager that something is leaking in her apartment, or a strange call from her boss asking if she can do another shift last-minute, only for them to be none the wiser about ever asking her to do that. Dove didn't realize who was behind these strange happenings, but when she figured it out, boy was she pissed.

It's not uncommon to see Dove and Wukong arguing, much to MK's dismay. She just doesn't get why he's decided to hate her, he doesn't even know her! One time, he asked her to help a monkey of Flower Fruit Mountain that needed medical help, but when she got there, he left her stranded on the mountain while he went on vacation! Dove couldn't see the mainland for days until MK and Tang visited the mountain for a separate reason about some giant dumpling. It doesn't get much better when the team has to go looking for the Samadhi rings. If anything, it gets worse. Monkey King is so aggravated to even have Dove with them, she'd half-expect that he wanted her left to be frozen in the city with Lady Bone Demon! He doesn't want her anywhere near the ritual where they form the fire. The unfriendly behaviour doesn't stop until, well, Amnesia Rules…

When Monkey King loses his memory and gives her this look of shock, the last thing she expects is for him to scoop her into his arms with the tightest hug she's ever experienced. A flip switched in his attitude towards her, and it's made all the more confusing after he explains that Pigsy is Zhu Bajie and Tang is Tang Sanzang

"Who do you think I am, then?"

"You're my one and only, Love-Dove!"

She's not sure what's worse, that god-awful nickname or the fact that he thinks he's in love with her! Although, as the day goes by… she can't say she's unopposed to seeing this much friendlier side of him. Even if she only got to see it for a little while.

It likely wouldn't be until Wukong is about to face LBD that he finally admits to her why he was so upset about her being there, how she was the reincarnation of his one and only love. A love he lost, in a way that he could only blame himself. He couldn't bear the thought of putting her near harm's way again, not when their mission revolved around a power that was responsible for her past life's death (I might go into it in another ask/post, this is getting long)

After learning all of what they'd gone through in her past life, Dove is… apprehensive, to say the least. Some of his actions from the past, they make sense to her now, but it doesn't make her forgive him completely. Still, she remembers how Sun Wukong was when he had lost his memory… she would like to see that side of him more.

It takes them time to get past their rocky start (these two can never just start off liking each other smh), but in time, Dove starts to see more of that side she'd seen during Amnesia Rules. And she starts to fall for him all over again. He tells her about her past life, their time together on the journey, all of it. He admits how he robbed her of immortality… and how she tricked him into wearing the circlet. Their ups and their downs, he tells her everything. By the time season 5 rolls around, they're happy together. He's even offered her an immortal peach from the tree he's grown on FFM, so that he can finally make up for the mistake he made all those years ago.

Then… Li Jing puts the circlet on Wukong, again.

The moment Dove finds out, she's furious. How could they hurt him like that again?! Wukong tries to put her mind at ease, but it takes a lot to calm her down. "It's fine, Dove… I was honestly pretty disappointed. He put it on and just left, at least you were creative about it back in the day." That night, in the back of Sandy's van, Dove is littering his head in kisses, she can hardly imagine how painful it must feel. You best believe the moment they see Li Jing chasing them, she's aiming whatever she can find straight for his head. If he thinks he can induce some magic migraine on her man like that, she'll find a way to pay back the favour, tenfold. Nobody touches her Sun Wukong but her.

[n3ptoonz]

Could you do some mk Headcanons (anyone you feel motivated to write about) where their meet the dark version of reader from Dark!Shang Tsung’s timeline, maybe their conflicted because their version of the reader died

randomly selected mk1 character hcs: how kitana, kenshi, mileena, scorpion, li mei, and shang tsung react to the version of their s/o's dark clone post death

this is creative asf ty anon 🫢

warnings: canon typical violence and angst that's about it (gonna hit y'all with the punk tactics)

the dialogue portions are meant to be read in the context of before you and character fight

enjoy!

Kitana

When you appeared in her line of vision, she was immediately heartbroken. She couldn't believe her late partner came back like this after so many years

You died sacrificing yourself for her to live in this timeline. you worked for the royal family for all these years, just to have to take an arrow to the chest due to an assassination attempt

Your skin now had cracks all over it and your eyes glowed red, standing by dark shang tsung's side with a mocking smirk behind your mask. Kitana could barely recognize you and you were only intrigued that she wasn't dead in this timeline

Kitana looked at you with tears in her eyes. The same person who took an arrow so she could live on. She had already taken out clones that looked like her, hell even ones that looked like her own sister and mother. Second pain to that was seeing you approach her with mischievous and evil intent.

"You...gave your life for me...and now you live on as an evil pawn for a man like Shang Tsung?"

"I did? What an idiot. In my timeline, I'm the one who assassinated you, and I still have no remorse."

Kenshi Takahashi

Post losing his eyesight, he could only ever think about how he lost you. How he wasn't quick enough in getting you out of being involved with the Yakuza. How he was one step behind

You died a brutal death simply because you were his partner, and they couldn't risk leaving you alive to tell the story of them torturing you for information, so they took care of it themselves to send a message. And boy, did it send a message

So now, in dark Shang Tsung's timeline, you are resentful of him and want your revenge. However, it was very conflicting for Kenshi: Did he take this version of you out now because he knows you don't actually feel like this? Or...die by your clone's hands to be reunited with the love of his life?

Kenshi stood before you with Sento in hand, but frozen in place. The sound of your voice, the complete change in your demeanor, and even down to how you used to walk (he always knew when you were coming because of the way your footsteps sounded), he was utterly devastated. He only had himself to blame for this moment in time.

"I'm...I'm sorry I wasn't there for you. It's all my fault."

"No need to apologize, past love, I took you out in my timeline, now I've come to finish the job in yours."

Mileena

You died in Mileena's arms. How? Well, you were a little too late in grabbing the serum that calms her down and she went crazy on the closest person to her, literally

Upon barely clinging onto dear life you were able to inject her, but you had lost too much blood. So by the time she came to you were gone. She hadn't cried and wailed this much since her father

Now, as she pointed her Sai at your neck, she didn't know what to do. Even if she turned right now, she couldn't handle killing you in the same exact way two times in a row. Even if evil you was trying to kill her

Mileena breathed heavily as she could feel herself turning, desperately trying to stop herself from mauling you to death. But the way you taunted her made half of her want to turn even quicker, knowing full well this is the dark version of you spewing nonsense to piss her off.

"Come on, Empress, turn. Rip my face off like you did before."

"I don't want to...but if my hand is forced, so be it!"

Scorpion

You guessed it. The classic partner and son loss. You fought tirelessly to defend your home and the Shirai Ryu, but it just wasn't enough. Kuai was also just one step too late

Once he got to you, there lied your lifeless body clutching your son in your arms with a sword through your back. If he just hadn't gone on that mission that day when you said you were worried of being attacked...

Now, the dark version of you relished in the pain and sorrow in his eyes. In your timeline, he was the one that died and you trained your son to be a killing machine

Scorpion's head hung low upon hearing what you've done in your timeline. All this time he promised if he could just see you again, he would apologize profusely and even give his own life for you to come back. But looking at you now, seeing you again with an evil smile and empty eyes you've never worn before made him want to take it all back.

"Want to know something funny? You were the one that died in front of me, and I got our son to do it."

"Training Satoshi to be a killing machine is a sin that not even hellfire can take care of."

Li Mei

You died while on a mission in Li Mei's place to find and gather information that would be of use to the royal house and their next moves on taking down a clan that was after it

Li Mei hasn't properly recovered since. Even to the point where she'll go on solo missions just to avoid anybody else getting hurt. She took extra shifts and extended her personal training time just to keep her mind, but at the end of the day she still crumbled

Now the evil version of you isn't even in the Sun Do. In fact, you actively try to take them down every chance you get just to get to the Li Mei in your timeline--which worked

Li Mei took a fighting stance as soon as you showed up. A piece of her heart broke at the thought of intentionally having to hurt you, but she knew you were long gone now with no shot of saving grace. You dangled your weapon in front of her and showed not one sign of fear.

"You were an esteemed member of the Sun Do, and now you are proudly a disgrace."

"I'll do it again one thousand times over and you can't stop me."

Shang Tsung

Surprisingly, he didn't betray you or kill you himself. You captured the sorcerer's heart, and that was the problem. His followers didn't like how much attention you got, so they formed an organization and took you out when they followed you on a mission

Since then he was on a rampage. He wreaked as much havoc as he could, convinced it was some outside source that held something against him. He only got stronger with anger and deep rooted sadness he couldn't process

Now you blamed him for letting you die when he could've prevented it. Hell, sometimes you felt like it was his idea and his way of getting rid of you as if you were a hindrance to his plans

Shang Tsung couldn't believe his eyes. You, who started walking towards him after you linked arms with his own dark clone. Every emotion he had ever felt bubbled to the surface the second he saw your face. Hurt, anger, sorrow, but mostly confusion. However, knowing the kind of man Shang Tsung was, he wouldn't think twice to rid of your evil clone for good.

"Whoever took you from me will pay, but I will kill you myself before I die by your tainted hands."

"Aw, how the evil sorcerer calls the dark soul 'tainted'"

-

thank you for reading! man this was SOMETHING but it was fun i don't typically write angst

[quitealotofsodapop]

Imagine this for post jttw.

There's a really, really important festival coming up for FFM. Soemthing similar to Qingming, specifically to remember and celebrate those lost to the Great Burning and the War, and it's something that's SUPER stressful for Wukong because, well, he feels that he has to get this right no matter what! It was HIS foolishness that led to the War and the Burning, so the least he can do is try to make sure it's perfect for the monkeya who make a pilgrimage line to participate in the festival. Normally, he has Macaque there to keep him in check and help him out.

But this time, Macaque isn't there! He's still missing!

MK knows this is a very stressful time for his mom, especially since this is the first time he had to go through the ceremony and festival without his dad. He wants to help! He asks Pigsy for vacation time, about a week or two off so he can help his mom with preparations. This is the first time MK has ever asked for time off, he never asks for it off even when he gets hurt doing his Monkie Kid thing! So, of course, Pigsy is concerned and asks.

MK: It's just... there's this important festival going on up on the mountain soon, and it's really stressing Mom out. It's supposed to be a remembrance of those we've lost and the celebration of how our ancestral hone has healed from near destruction. Mom is trying to put it together all by himself since Dad is gone, and I'm worried about him, so I just want to help him out! Do my part as the Prince of Flower Fruit Mountain."

Of course, the group decided to get involved. Both because they don't want Wukong getting stressed out and also because they really wanna see the festival! When they head up the mountain, they find that MK was right to worry. Poor Wukong is a mess as he tries to juggle getting the bonfires ready, getting his ceremonial robes cleaned and refitted, writing a speech that isn't a rehash of what he did the last 100 years, dealing with his anxiety over said speech because of his stage fright, caring for the cubs and making sure they're not gonna cause chaos, figuring out travel routes for those who live away from the mountain, etc.

+a similar ask from @soniclozdplove;

Had to do some thinkings for this one;

Qingming is a Spring festival (April 4th this year), so I can imagine the "Memorial Day" for the Burning taking place between then and New Years.

Wukong has hosted the Memorial Day just fine in the previous years... but then again, Macaque was always at his side in those years. Without his mate beside him, Wukong starts feeling the pressure of organising such an important yearly event (not to mention him missing Mac so much he feels sick, but that could also just be pregnancy nausea).

MK has goofed around a lot in terms of his responsibilities as Prince - it comes with the casual nature of FFM. This year he wants to step up and help his mom with stuff he's worried about. Wukong tells MK he really doesn't have to, but is clearly delighted to have someone step in to help.

MK immediately runs to Mei, breathlessly explaining that he needs help organising the Memorial Festival since he has no idea what he's doing!

With a touch of her phone, Mei organises the crack team of party planners;

Mei: "Ok, what's Monkey King most worried about?" MK, counting off his fingers: "One, the festival tends to have bonfires on the beach that get doused at the end of the night to symbolise the fires on the mountain being quenched (mom really doesn't like fire). There's a lot of music and dancing involved." Mei, points to the line-up: "Red Boy! You're on pyrotechnics! I'll man the tunes! Jin and Yin will organise the dance floor!" Red, grumbling: "Stop calling me Red Boy." Jin & Yin: "Yea!" "We've helped out before!" "Course normally big brother supervised, but we can do it with our eyes closed!" MK: "Two; Transport for monkeys living on the mainland so that they can attend the festival." Sandy: "Oh I can do that! I ferry people across all the time!" MK: "Great! Next is someone to man the food stations. A lot of it is fresh fruit and vegetables, but there's normally a pot luck table with grills and soup pots going. Pigsy, can you pretty please help manage that?" Pigsy, determined look in his eyes: "If you insist." MK: "Fourth; Mom gets super nervous about the yearly speech he does to the subjects, so he'll need someone to help him out with that." Tang, hands shoots up: "OH OH! I can help! I do lectures and presentations all the time at work!" MK: "Ok, phew! That's a lot of the heavy work sorted out. The major one, and this is a doozy cus baba normally does it; someone to keep an eye on the cubs during the festival." Noodle Gang: (*look confusedly between themselves*) DBK, sudden booming voice: "I will be honoured to care for my xiandi's young for the durration of the Festival!" MK: "Wait, really? But aren't you nervous about people still being mad about the whole "Tried to Take Over the City"-thing?" DBK: "Boy, my wife and I tended to you in the years following your birth! Your parents were still busy rebuilding, and you were quite a troublemaker for someone not able to walk yet!" MK, embarrassed: "Guess that answers that question. Thank you guys." (*getting emotional*) Mei: "Aww, come here little monkey man." MK: (*gets group hugged*)

The day comes and... literally, almost everything doesn't go as planned.

Red Son misjudged the amount of fuel needed to start a bonfire and accidentally sets the whole beach alight before the party even starts. PIF (wind powers) and the others (extinguishers) help put it out, but the sand is noticibly scorched. Red insists on spending half the day trying to start bonfires "the old fashioned way" with flint, to avoid similar accidents. Red panics cus he's worried that his magic fire could trigger the monkeys who survived the Burning.

Sandy has to make multiple trips to and from the mainland to FFM, and hits a rough patch of rain as he's coming in. PIF sees the rain clouds ahead and uses her powers to blow them away for now. Hopefully that wont come back to bite them (lie). Each of are the Four Stalwarts arrive on different trips, and try their best to help out.

Mei is used to high-energy dance and rock music, and has no idea how to groove to the more traditional island tunes.

Multiple mishaps with Jin & Yin setting up the eating areas and dance floor. A few benches break cus the twins either got pinched by a crab or their feet stuck in a sand trap.

Pigsy managed to set a beautiful spread of fresh fruits and vegetables, and has the grills and cookers prepared. He is however, currently at war with the ungodly amount of pests attracted to the spread.

Tang is upfront with Wukong in helping him with his speech and the Monkey King is super grateful. Accidentally turns into an improv/therapy session as Wukong rambles to Tang about how he's feeling + the times previous festivals went badly. No actual speech prep ends up taking place.

DBK starts out fine with taking care of the cubs. But he's a complete pushover, especially towards his godcalves; the twins aptly nicknamed Rumble & Savage. The twins quickly have Uncle Bull allowing them to run off and fight eachother with weapons, and take food from Pigsy's table before the party even starts. PIF steps in to corral the misbehavior, but is distracted by little Luzhen running off and making hair clones of himself. Yuebei spends most of the initial drama asleep.

MK is supervising everything and is getting a little control-freaky. Calls up his clones to supervise different sectors of the party (Delivery for Food, Artist for Decor, Porty for music) and keeps running to and from characters to keep an eye on them.

All the guests arrive and things are going ok until- WHOOPS! The rain cloud PIF blew away came back with a vengance and turns into a tropical storm! PIF can't help rn either - Luzhen stole her fan and she's trying to catch him before he knocks over half the island.

The whole party has to be moved inside, much to the dismay of those who prepared it. Red's efforts in making the bonfires were for naught. Pigsy's beloved food spread has to be dismantled and moved inside. Mei's dj equipment nearly gets soaked. Jin & Yin nearly get lost in quicksand. MK's cloned went a bit haywire and have to be wrangled up.

Just as things look like they couldn't get any worse... the rain wakes up Yuebei. As she registers that she's wet and see can't see her Mama or Baba; an ungodly scream and two massive eye lazers shoot from her. DBK takes HP damage. All the babies/cubs attending the festival have to be rushed inside cus there's so much crying.

Wukong exits his office in the Stone Palace to see Water Curtain Cave packed to the gills with his subjects and freezes. He did not expect them all to be here now! Stage fright activated. Tang thankfully manages to encourage Wukong to take his place. The Stalwarts cheer for their little brother as he stammers through his few lines of well wishes and recap of the year. The room gets really quiet when he mentions the missing Warrior... The subjects take a moment to pray, not only for those lost all thoee centuries ago, but also those who could not be there that day.

The subjects then applaud not only their Kibg for his guidence, but MK and his friends for their effort! They all did wonderfully! To bring the decendants of the Pilgrims, and dear Brother Bull and Sister Iron Fan to them was an amazing feat! The praise is unprompted and MK, the Noodle gang, Jin & Yin, and the Bull family can't help but smile.

Rumble and Savage cut Uncle Bull and Auntie Iron Fab a break, and show that they used their portals to finally catch little Luzhen (fan included). The bull couple are immensely grateful and tired.

As the party officialy begins, within the walls of the caves rather tan the open beaches, Wukong brings his son aside to talk. Tipped off by four certain Stalwarts about the Prince and his friends' troubles organising everything;

Wukong: "Wait, you got all your friends, including my older siblings involved just to make sure I wasn't worried about the Festival?" MK, sheepish: "Yeah..." (*Wukong pulls MK in to a tight hug*) Wukong: "Thanks kiddo. But it's not the Festival itself I was worried about. I was just..." MK: "You really miss dad." Wukong, sadly: "I do. I really, really do. I haven't spent a holiday without him since before you were born. It's just with the Memorial Festival, I just kept thinking back to him. How he'd help me proofread my speech. How he'd direct plays for the subjects. How he'd keep your or your siblings in line so you wouldn't cause Havoc..." (*turns head away and sniffs*) Wukong, crying lightly: "You're so much like me and your dad, bud. I bet he would have loved to see your first planned Festival." MK: "Thanks mama." (*hugs back more*) Wukong, wiping his tears: "OK! Enough weeping! There's a whole festival to celebrate out there! Plus, we have to make sure the cubs haven't broken your Aunt and Uncle." MK: "I doubt it." (*Meanwhile with the Bull couple and the cubs*) DBK & PIF: (*covered in laser burns and bits of fruit as the four younger cubs + MK's clones sleep in a baby pile*) PIF, whispering: "And I thought our little firelily was a handful." DBK, happy but exhausted: "They are certainly Brother Wukong's children." PIF: "The playfulness, yes. But using shadow portals to toss fruit at each other from multiple dimensions? Using hair clones to steal my fan? That's Macaque."

Realms away; Macaque allows tears to fall to as his ears pick up what joyfull celebration he's missing. But he needs to ensure there's a way LBD doesn't make this Memorial Festival their last...

[imminent-danger-came]

Very very sorry for the spam but you are the only person outside of my immediate friend group who enjoys both shadowpeach AND dragonfruit in the very specific way that I do 🛐🛐🛐

Like I am the BIGGESTTTTT believer in aroace swk who has only ever really loved mcq in That Specific Way. Like not romantic but also not completely platonic— he loved him and he loved him in a way he never loved anyone else which is what mattered most. And mcq I see as...idk! Maybe he's aroace too, regardless I think he also loved and only loved swk BECAUSE he was swk. That is all that ever mattered to him. That it was swk. Loyal to a fault; even after swk hurt him so much, even after he hurt swk just as much. (Haha this is just like I'm Your Man by Mitski—)

And I do NOT see them as cutesy or as like a sweet and domestic couple. They are FAR from over their many, many issues and they will always have that bit of toxicity and hurt no matter how much they may hypothetically mellow out bc the ways in which they hurt each other WAS unforgivable. But the thing is, does that even matter? Does it matter if they'll still love each other anyways? If, in the end, all they ever wanted was to be by each others side even as they were covered in each others blood and blinded by their own heartbreak, anger, and hatred. Love. Obsession. Whatever it was that they felt for each other.

I also like,,, even if they somehow hypothetically hot their shit together enough to be a "functioning couple", I do not see them w any of the typical relationship labels like I think mcq would hurl if u called swk his boyfriend, husband, lover, etc like PLEASE I understand not everyone will have the same opinions and ship dynamics and I respect it, but I have a very specific view on their relationship and they are neither romantic or platonic, but a secret third thing. But they are also actually both. Whatever it is, it's love. A love that grew sharp and bent in its intensity when that love festered into a hatred that edged the line of obsession far too many times to ever be "normal" hatred.

Okay I think I've ranted enough. For now. Thankyou very much if u read all of this I have so very many shadowpeach thoughts 🛐

OMG HELLO

You are the only person outside of my immediate friend group who understands shadowpeach the way I do

I could honestly also read Macaque as allo, but no matter what their relationship is so aspec/arospec to me. Like whatever their bond was, it didn't matter because they had each other. Until they didn't. Until they knew their relationship was one of hatred. Until it was somehow even more complicated.

What drives me crazier is at this point, they would both choose MK over each other. It's pretty clear that Macaque expected Wukong to sacrifice himself in MK's place v ("He needs to know it's not all on him" "It doesn't always have to be you!" "Get the kid you idiot" "Wukong..."), because that was what he was willing to loose. He had already lost Wukong before, but MK? He's someone neither Macaque or Wukong could bear leaving them (the way they left each other). Like s5 committed so hard in the run motif ("You're the one always running off!"), and MK has been set up to be the one to leave Wukong since like s2.

It's also rare for me to run into another dragonfruit fan!! Tbh it is kinda just the text, but I find them so interesting. Like what if Mei handled the worst parts of Red Son better than he ever did. What if their mentor/mentee dynamic parallels MK and Macaque ("You don't use a weapon, you ARE a weapon! - "Don't use the flame Mei..." "Be the flame!"). What if Red Son knew Mei would stop at nothing to free his parents, the way he stopped at nothing to free her.

But also, what if Red Son was Mei's silly rabbit.

I know some people despise 5x05, but the truth is that Red Son has always been a support character to Mei. Even in AHiB, Mei and Red Son are often singled out together (ilu Mei saving MK and "I'll handle this" scenes). It's more obvious in 1x06 or 1x08, where Mei and Red are both racers and, of course, "Red flames are cool! Want to see some green ones?". RoTSQ focuses entirely on Mei and Red Son's relationship, which is continued into 3x06 and beyond.

Thank you for the rant it was a good read!

[glitcheslikeslego]

Show Me Your Moves! (Chapter 17)

AO3 STORY

Chapter 17 : Eerie Impulse

Eerie Impulse is a non-damaging move that lowers the opponent's Special Attack stat by 2 stages.

You sat in the back of the group, staring nervously at the blank staring “Mayor” that smiled ominously.

You knew exactly what was going to happen as soon as you entered Pigsy’s restaurant. Seeing the makeshift stage with a podium, you asked what the occasion was, and when Pigsy told you that the Mayor was coming to thank MK for all he’s done, you felt your heart stop.

It’s beginning…

So now, here you are, arms crossed and legs bouncing as the Mayor made his way through his speech, obviously trying to restrain himself from going absolutely feral about the Lady Bone Demon.

The name sent a feeling of dread into your heart, and you swore that the Mayor was specifically smirking at you in particular, with that same weird interest the Spider Queen gave you.

“Thank you for this amazing turnout!” The Mayor declared to the small group, and while everyone was content and excited for MK, you were still waiting for everything to go wrong.

Everything went on as normal, with Mei and MK being excited as the Mayor handed him the key to the city and explained how it could be used to open anything, like an imprisoned mystic power source.

You watched the Mayor warily as he shot you one last intrigued look before disappearing.

MK and Mei hyped over the creepy looking key, with the skull symbol and the strange prongs that could change to fit into any lock. You went to warn them about the dangers of such a funky looking key, but they were out the door before you could even take a breath to speak. 

You took a deep breath and knocked your head into the table, startling Tang, who looked at you worriedly. “Are you okay?”

You laid motionless for a bit before slowly raising your head up to face him. You looked worried. “That key thing looks like bad news.” You exclaimed. 

Tang thought about it for a moment, then nodded. “Yeah, that skull looked quite foreboding.”

“You have no idea…” you muttered, making the human look at you in confusion. Instead of elaborating further, you got up and left, deciding to head to work instead of taking the half-day off Sandy kindly gave you. 

You need to get your mind off of what’s to happen next. 

•

•

•

Turns out, it went just as bad in canon, if not worse. 

How did it get worse?

After your shift, you decide to turn on the tv to watch the news as you are to see if anything of interest happened, and well… It was interesting to say the least. 

Red Son destroyed MK’s apartment and he and Mei end up in a chase with MK following after them, just for PIF to show up and duke it out for the key…

…destroying more of the city in the process. 

Last time there was minimal damage, but this time, the big fight where PIF and Red Son won looked like a tornado had hit it, and that kind of fits with how many whirlwinds PIF kept conjuring up. 

And as if you weren’t tired enough, there was a knock at the door. You groaned and put your food down then opened the door…

It was MK and Mei. 

Because OF COURSE it was…

The two immediately hugged you and began babbling about how the key went missing and that the bull family has it now and who knows what sort of villainy they’ll get up to with it.

You just facepalm. 

Today was just not your day…

“Listen.” You started, making the two quiet down. “We can deal with this another day. Whatever the bull family throws at us with whatever they’re using that key for, you guys can stop them, like you always do.”

Of course, this managed to calm them down immensely, and you sensed that they missed the undertone of foresight you had just given them. 

Because they will stop her. 

You shouldn’t be so worried. 

Why are you so worried, mortal?

~~~

<PREV ~ NEXT>

[baxndaid]

ive been wanted to ask for a while but i was so scared 😭😭

do you mind doing redson x reader (friends to lovers type deal) and both of them r absolutely smitten but doesn’t want to tell the other (the mk gang sees right through them)

sorry if this is too specific lmao 💀

red son x reader

𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐬 ! this is so cute PLEADSE hey guys shock of the century but i have never actually watched lmk 😔🙏 just going off clips i find on yt

• he’s not even that awkward at first tbh

• he’s just stiff

• you’re definitely a bit more chill about it, on the outside of course, but in the inside? chaos

• whenever your shoulder’s accidentally brush together due to MK’s bone crushing hugs you can’t help but ignore the pain and focus on the fire user next to you

• he isn’t much better by the way

• he’s so much worse what am i saying i’m LYING to you all

• he’s so blatantly looking between you and the spot your shoulders are touching so frantically, his lips pursed and a noticeable red hue on his face

• when MK is done with his murder attempt, red son will push him away and hastily fix his clothes and hair, avoiding eye contact with you

• let’s be real your doing the same

• at first he would be polite (as polite as he could be) when you first met

• but as time passed you saw more of him and he saw more of you

• you would exchange stories and laugh together which was something that made the gang’s jaws DROP

• like?? get together already???

• Mei always liked to tease both of you, trying so hard to make it obvious that you both feel the same way about each other

• doesn’t work you’re both stupid

• most of you and Mei’s texts go kinda like,

mei: “hey y/nn you planning on marrying yknow who today?? ❤️”

y/n: “loll Mei your so funny lol like i would ever like him lol he’s so stuck up and mean sometimes like LOL like so what if he’s really really cute and actually pays attention to me and makes me feel special like it so doesn’t matter or anything lol mei your so silly lol !! you need to be put down!! lol!!”

mei: “therapy y/n”

y/n: “lol… 😔”

• anyway! Mei (and the rest but let’s be real mostly Mei and MK) are eating this shit UP

• they like to do this thing where they tell you both (separately) that something urgent is happening and they needed you there asap

• and when i mean “there” i mean a weirdly nice park with a strange already set up picnic with MK (with a poor disguise that consists of a paper mustache and a black shirt) playing the violin horrifically and Mei clearly in the tree near by, listening in with a excited grin plastered on her face

• you and red son looked at each other, you gave him a bashful smile, fiddling with your hands that you could feel already sweating

• he gave you a small smile back and sat down, patting the empty space right next to him for you to sit down

• you leaned your head on his shoulder as he leaned his on your head, he was stiff, but he relaxed as you both started to converse

• despite the eerie feeling of being watched and the screech of MK’s violin, it was a peaceful, or dare i say it, romantic, day for the both of you

lego monkie kid masterlist

[theghostoficarus]

MK Brain Rot Part 2 :D

I need help.

Part 1

Still, her death haunts him and this is seen so clearly at the start of season 4, now I wouldn't say this is another stage as much as a continuation of stage 3. With how she died and that planting of the idea that all his actions and choices will lead to one single result he has no way of escaping from, how could he talk about that with his friends or family? Why would he choose to make them all the more stressed? Mk lets these ideas fester in the back of his mind and you can see that in the way he acts. He's more mature now, he's less funny, he doesn't go out with Mei as often and he's always either working or training or fighting. this constant cycle prevents him from ever-improving that mindset and if anything he just gets so much worse as time goes on. He blames himself for every single attack on the city, every action he's ever made he thinks of as a mistake. When he once used to see things so happily and in such a bright light, now he can only see the worst because that's what he sees in himself and it's eating him alive. Once he opens the scroll his fears are only even more confirmed no matter how hard Wukong tries to back peddle and take back the responsibilities he gave to MK he can't MK won't let him. That sort of change in their dynamic, from fanboy and superhero to apprentice and mentor, to the fixer and the broken is just so interesting. Mk feels obligated to take everything on his own if there's a chance his friends will get hurt. When Azure lends that helping hand that knowledge that MK wants so badly is the power, the authority, and the ability to actually help. Azure is what MK wants to be. Unbothered, kind, respected. Mk holds Azure to the standard he used to have Wukong on, and because of that reverts back to that mindset of happy-go-lucky, and childish because there's a stronger more authoritative figure he can rely on when needed. yet when MK finds out what Azure's plan is, his goals, MK FLIPS. He was betrayed and lied to by someone he had trusted there was no being eased into that realization that they are human and flawed no sign of Azure trying to improve. Mk sees what he aspires to be and now knows the flaws and faults of that goal. Because of that, it makes MK wonder even further what he wants to be WHO he wants to be who he IS. WHAT. HE. IS. Enter, Ink MK. the embodiment of his fatal flaws. The physical form of his fears, of what he sees himself becoming. His mistakes take the form of a monster with his face, it's terrifying. But what's even scarier is the fact that there's this little voice in MK's head that gets louder as the show continues that Ink Mk was RIGHT. Ink Mk verbalizes the questions that had been festering in MK from the start of stage 2. Who is he? Why is he here? and, does he have a choice in all of this? Enter stage 4. The final one. Mk runs. Runs from his friends and headfirst into his problems thinking some way somehow he has to figure it all out while the world is falling apart. Enter Macaque. Showing Mk that, no matter the choice there will always be a consequence and he just has to live with it, and that's okay. There's no one right or wrong he has to forge his own path. This doesn't really sink in for Mk even into season 5. He's so stuck in his ways this mindset that he can't choose anymore that it hangs on his shoulders, but at least now he realizes he doesn't have to make that choice alone. An improvement, even if it's just a small one. he reforms those connections and even though he's terrified of himself he fights. Now throughout stage 4, MK is still very much so terrified of what he is of who he is, he doesn't want to realize this because he fears change. in comes season 5 now I don't want to spoil anything so I won't yap as much here also because I need to rewatch it again BUT stage 4 of Mk's Arch is pushed full force in season 5 especially when it comes to the ending and that final choice MK makes. The stage 4 arch ends with, in a weird way, self-acceptance. Even if it's the smallest dose it's still there.

This was my Ted Talk.

[totallynotokguys]

Lego Monkie Kid Rewatch: Season 3

Episode 10, Samadhi Fire 2/2

Shielding mortals, like ya do.

Shielding friends and children, like ya do.

This is why you are both my favourite. Look how surprised Ne Zha is. How often is he the one being protected?

"I was kinda making it up as I go."

You know it's a bad plan when even smarty-boy thinks so.

"Time and time again, I've watched you put MK in danger leaving him to figure out everything on his own! Don't you realise you're hurting the people who care about you the most!"

I hope this look is Wukong coming to grips with his mistakes and not "Oh shoot, thats a big dragon."

I keep thinking of Wukong as a good mentor, but is that right?

Lets look at season 1. They were still getting to know each other so there was obviously some unfamiliarity and disconnect. Wukong was very relaxed, letting MK figure out his powers and deal with the small time demons that popped up. He'd be there to give advice or watch over just in case, like with Weather Station, but for the most part he was unhurried- which makes sense. There is no rush, no 'world at stake' threat levels yet. In Wukong's eyes, they can take it slow. After all, it took him years of study to learn the 72 transformation ability.

But then season 2 things ramp up and everything becomes a mess(Season 5 grumbling: thanks a lot Nine-Headed Demon, too impatient to fulfill your agenda, you couldn't give mentor and pupil more than a year of bonding before you started pushing over the structural integrity of this house of cards). Wukong now has a relationship with MK, he cares about the kid. Thanks to Lady Bone Demons little hints he is pushed into protective mode.

This is where Wukong makes his greatest mistake. He's always talking to MK about self confidence, and yet he fails to have enough confidence in MK to trust him and be honest. With false idea of preserving MK and shielding him from unnecessary stress, Wukong ditches the kid- his excuse of a vacation making MK's already frail self-confidence becoming crippling doubt and self worth.

The way I see it, Wukong ends up treating MK the way he treated Sanzang in his early pilgrimage. Acting without communicating, which lead to misunderstandings and pain for both. Trying to do everything himself without relying/trusting on his companions, which only ended up putting the person he was trying to protect in more danger.

In conlcusion... I think he started out on the right path to being a good mentor. But then he let his old habits and fear guide his actions and it all went down hill.

I really hope this is the moment where Wukong looks up, hears Mei's words, and realises just how much he's been unintentionally hurting the person he has been trying to protect the most.

"Mei is my best friend. I'd never abandon her when she needs me!"

That moment in the show when the writers are like, yeah no. MK and Mei or not the new Hero and Champion. Just look at Wukong and Macaque's face. The shock. The awe. The admiration for this kids loyalty.

What MK and Mei have? The trust and belief in each other. The willingness to endure danger for one another. Undying support to help one another… I don't think Macaque and Wukong were ever that devoted to each other.

Ne Zha: "There's no saving the girl." MK's magic chimes as he pushes forward anyway.

Thank you Ne Zha for giving MK the motivation he needs to prove everyone wrong.

"I know you're upset. And that's okay!"

This is the lesson I'm often trying to teach my students. Being angry is not bad. Crying is not bad. Both just mean there are big emotions you are trying to deal with. The problem comes when you do not deal with those emotions in a healthy manner. Lashing out, holding it in, these ways of dealing only hurt yourself and others without actually finding resolution.

"We will figure this out… together!"

I will remember this.

For a moment, there is peace. She is loved.

And then she gets reminded of the responsibility she has toward the people who love her.

Mei is scared and angry. Scared of whats happening to her. Scared from having her life threatened by Macaque. But also she is angry, furious at Wukong for leading them here, for constantly leaving MK to stress and worry with all of this newfound responsibility alone.

Its almost noble, her anger. It is understandable, her fear. But what good do either of these reasons, emotions, do when they hurt the people she cares about the most?

"I'm sorry."

Mei… darling Mei. That you should go through this, feel this… your experience will only aid you in helping heal MK and his own fear of self in the future.

"She controlled the fire… perhaps there was method to Son Wukong's madness after all."

Ne Zha is starts thinking he should maybe trust Wukong more. For Ne Zha, a mostly separate third party, this is a success. Nobody died. Mr. Doom and Gloom was not expecting that.

But look at Wukong's face.

Failure. Shame. Did seeing Mei and MK's bond remind him of his pilgrim brothers? Does he realise he should have been caring and trying to protect all of the noodle troup, not just MK? Does he see how setting out alone to get the map and not including others in his plans just left everyone else unguarded, unprepared, and unable to help him or themselves in the battle?

I think so. I think this is the moment Wukong starts trying to care about more people than just himself and MK as well as trusting in others help and teamwork.

And now Wukong is going to try and do everything all on his own. Ouch. So close.

He's not willing to put any of the others at risk anymore, so I guess that's better? Now if only someone could remind him why the pilgrimage to the west needed their whole brotherhood, not just a single monkey.

"I need to stop dragging into my fights… all of you."

Accountability. Good. And yet once again he's still not including the others or trusting them.

But in a way, I get it. When you're one of the most powerful beings in the universe, living for eons among frail and fleeting mortals… I don't think I'd have that much faith in others to help either. Everyone else is so breakable compared to him. And now that he's choosing to care about the others…. he's treating them like precious china dolls you keep safely locked away in a shelf.

"The only way we win is together!"

I will also remember this.

MK getting hugs! MK giving a little nuzzle.

Soak it in MK! Remember this feeling! You are loved and you are deserving of love! Don't forget it! Please, please, please don't forget this!

Hearing Mei cry just breaks my heart.

Darling child. Hugs are coming. Comfort is coming. You are loved and cherished. You are not alone.

Inner Red Son: 'Right, I'll impress her with a super cool and intimidating show of power so she knows I can totally handle the uncontrolled fire and she can trust me!'

Us: 'Wow Red Son! What an amazing heroic pose!' Red Son: 'No! NO! Not HEROIC! INTIMIDATING! I'm being intimidating!' Us: 'Intimate Date?' Red Son: 'Aarrrrrgh!'

You cannot tell me he didn't practiced his opening line and pose in the mirror. Red Son is one of meticulous preparation. And he must have had some idea of what was going to go down if he found her so quickly.

On that note… did he believe Mei would survive the activation of the Samadhi Fire? He must have, for him to be here! He knew what they were doing, sensed the fire was in her, and had total faith she would be able to survive it! Wow. Red Son. I love you.

[itsabouttimex2]

LSO AU sounds really interesting! Are we allowed to ask questions about AUs or does it count as a request?

Hi, thank you for asking! Questions are always allowed, even when requests are closed! I’ll elaborate on Let’s Start Over a little bit!

After his own journey ends and MK has his own story penned and published, peace settles across Megapolis and the world in general.

He’s even got himself a new title- “Monkie Knight”, after years of working for the king.

MK still steps in to ward off greater threats and more serious demons, but mostly steps back and attends to the noodle shop with Pigsy, who’s just about ready to pass the keys to his son and maybe take up a more casual lifestyle of teaching instead of serving. Maybe a YouTube channel where he teaches basic skills and recipes to viewers. Tang comes in to both expand on the history of what Pigsy is cooking and to taste test the end result. As expected, he adores the food each time.

Things are okay.

There’s trauma and bitterness that MK needs to work through, but… things are alright. With time, they’ll get better.

And then you come around to the shop one day to visit, right as the Ruyi Jingu Bang comes toppling down from where it’s been set- and you catch it.

So starts your journey.

Our golden-hearted hero is a little soured now, having been thrust into dangerous fights again and again. He’s somewhat resentful to certain individuals-

Mei, for not fighting beside him more often, in spite of her combat prowess and draconic powers. He gets a little twitchy when she’s around, thinking of all the fun she had off on her motorcycle, all the live-streams she giggled and joked her way through. MK doesn’t hate her. Not in a million years. Never. But damn if there’s not some bitterness. He’ll still ask her to ‘babysit’ you when he needs to go off and fight.

Though he still cares about Sandy as a friend, MK has shifted his perspective to disliking the river demon’s pacifistic outlook, viewing it as naive and somewhat selfish. He still goes over to paint and have tea, but things are somewhat strained between the two. It’s easy for someone like Sandy, a side-liner, to say “I’m not fighting anymore!” but MK never had that chance. Given that he was in his mid-teens during the start of his journey in this AU, the hero finds it messed up that he had to fight, but an honest to goodness ex-soldier chose not to. Again, no hatred. Things are just a little tense.

Macaque is pretty far down on his shitlist, actually. MK has taken some time to think on the simian’s actions and kinda wishes he had just let Wukong pummel him to death. Most of these feelings relate to their first meeting, but him assaulting Tang and attacking Mei certainly haven’t helped. Or his unnecessary destruction of the Dragon Palace of the East Sea. Or his refusal to apologize. Yeah, this guy doesn’t get to come anywhere near you. MK will act civil because he does believe in redemption and second chances, but dear lord is it hard.

(And he massively regrets the “you aren’t a bad guy” speech he gave to Macaque. Looking back on it, MK thinks he was naively seeing goodness where it didn’t exist.)

And of course, Sun Wukong, for… a lot of things. He talks rather bitterly of his mentor, viewing the Great Sage as irresponsible and rather immature. He wishes there had been more effort and care in the monkey’s teaching, and less “you can handle this”. There’s still some genuine respect and gratitude for the simian, but MK majorly fixates on being ‘different’ in his own mentorship. Problem is…

He’s choosing to be different instead of better.

Wukong had genuine and honest belief in MK, enough to let him handle trouble on his own. The Great Sage didn’t step in not out of laziness, but because he knew that the kid could handle things on his own. Sure, he was way too secretive and hands-off, but his intentions were only ever to help MK grow.

So when he decides to be entirely opposite to Wukong, our newly titled ‘Knight’ becomes a massive roadblock for you. Instead of cutting you loose with confidence, MK is stifling and protective. He’ll fight for you, cook for you, tend to your wounds, etc. Wukong tried to let MK grow without any form of safety net, but MK refuses to allow any growth without complete safety, which is rare.

Instead of being a mentor who’s trying to build you into the best you that you can be, he’s trying to be a father.

And honestly? Sometimes, he’s so good at the act that you wish it were real.