#But for me personally. It's like- as a ship there's not really anything spicynoodles does for me that dragonfruit doesn't do better?

[imminent-danger-came]

you have a point about fandoms as a whole having a sexist lean but isn't mei is literally one of the most popular characters in the fandom and dragonfruit one of the most popular ships in the fandom? It's one of the top 5 most written about ships on ao3 if you remove self insert stuff.

So I'll preface this with I only have experience with the lmk fandom on tumblr.

But like, it's 90% shadowpeach stuff (with maybe MK as a third wheel). I know this, you know this. If you look through the "lego monkie kid" tag right now Ne Zha has more content related to him and only him than Mei does—she's usually gonna be thrown in with dragonfruit and traffic light trio (though, admittedly the lmk fandom has a problem of viewing characters outside of shipping in general). For every 1 Mei fanart there's 1 piece of Ao Lie fanart to match despite their vast differences in screen time. Like, am I insane? Am I insane for thinking it's the sexism?

[ep2nd]

@remy-a (sorry again)

LMK SHIPS

(These are ships I like and I am aroace soooo, not the best person for that "romance chemistry")

Freenoodles- they are so like an old married couple lol, they're cute and adorable and I love em, the show keeps putting these together yall can't tell me they're throwing literally bread loaves at our faces

Shadowpeaches- alright before anyone says anything- I like this ship, but it needs A LOT OF WORK, for those who haven't seen my Macaque redemption arc thoughts, they need to talk things out. Like a lot. And that's maybe on them getting back together. Now for anyone who's read Trials of Apollo (don't look at me like that I liked it) Commodus and Apollo have a very similar relationship like Macaque and Wukong. One was killed by the other, though they didn't want to, forced to because they were hurting people, and then go resurrected and went to get revenge on their ex-lover. Now commodus is a pot much, bloody killy and villainous and worse, but still- you can't just get back together after something like that. Now do I have an A03 bookmark for shadoapeaches roommates and lots of Stonefruit trio/Monkey trio family fics, of course they're adorable and I love em. Needs works, lots of work

Dragronfruit- It's cute, but the age difference- and that Redson is usually forever child like Nezha- I'll go 6/10, not all the same rules apply to LMK as JTTW

Spicynoodles- ALRIGHT. IM SORRY BECAUSE HALF THE FANDOM SHIPS EM, BUT I DONT. I- I just dont like em? And I usually ship all the Fandom favorite ships. I like the Trafflight trio as FRIENDS and Friends only. I just don't see any chemistry? More just plane rivals. Also look to Dragonfruit about other explanations

Spider Queen x Scorpion Queen- alright I can't remember the name but I think this a hilarious but a good potential ship, I like it a lot, it's cute, would love to see more stuff

I know they aren't even LMK nor is canon BUT IVE SEEN TUMBLR MAKS THIS.

Red Bottomed Horse Baboon x Lomg Armed Gibbon- I'd call it Astralspirit or some type of astral/cesltail word and then a ghost/underworld vibe. Now I'd get into a rant about what I've come up with these two, but that's another day. Anyway, they be like a quiet and loud type, one who doesn't like touch then the other who really loves it, one who plans everything and the other who goes with the flow, one who is always serious and the other always happy. Very opposite characters. If Pigsy and Tang are old married couple these are ultimate soul mates with like a perfect relationship, they talk things out, learn to love and live with things they personally don't like but the other does... stuff like that. Now I've seen this ship in the very few posts about the other 2 Celestial Primates, usually as Wukong or Macaques parents, so I know some people ship it. Also, I guess with Shadowpeaches, 2 of 4 Celestial Primates, they'd ship the other 2 together

Now If I didn't mention a ship, either A I forgot or B, I don't ship it, probably B, like Lionpeaches, Chimera, Venompeaches, Mayor x Syntax, Macaque x 9 headed snake demon, or others. If ya ship ya em, then that's alright!!(as long as it's not like horrible) I'm just not a big shipper too so yeah

[amazingdeadfish]

Got any other fav ships besides shadowpuppets? Not that I don't like them.. I was just wondering, cus there are ~other~ toxic co worker pairings 👀👀

Hmmm... I'm not that much of a multi shipper but I do find some ships 'interesting'!

Toxicinsanity (Mayor X Syntax) is always a fun one. I love the art and the angst that goes with it. I mean, Mayor literally kills Syntax so anything healthy coming out from it is a bit of a far stretch. I talked about it in another ask recently but yeah this ship is good lol.

But the idea of a healthy relationship being a far stretch is the same with shadowpeach (Wukong x Macaque) for me. I mean, I kind of like it? I see the appeal (I won't pass up their gay monkey content). But with the way the characters have been established as of right now (pre season five) I cannot see Wukong and Macaque fully reconciling with each other and making full amends for their wrong doings against each other. Even if the idea of these two becoming as close as they used to be before the attack on the celestial realm seems too strange for me. Some relationships can't be repaired. But honestly the idea that the two were childhood lovers or had crushes on each other before the falling out is really sweet so I'll give it that.

Destiny bones (Mayor x LBD) is a ship I would love if not for how LBD literally just replaces Mayor with Wukong in S3 Finale. But honestly given how LBD was literally going to die if she didn't do that I'm pretty sure Mayor would forgive her (I mean, I doubt LBD could do anything for any reason to make them not worship her anymore). And, to be honest, if she really did want to replace the Mayor with a more powerful servant, then she probably would have already gotten rid of him when she regained her hold on Macaque. But anyways, I love the dynamic of LBD having so much control over Mayor and what that could mean for their relationship. I can definitely see Mayor being in love with LBD (in all the ways possible), it's just the idea of LBD loving Mayor in turn which makes me contemplate it a little. I mean, I just don't see LBD as someone who would invest in a romantic relationship? Or any relationship at all? Not because she is heartless but because she has dedicated her life to her destiny. She does not have time to pursue personal attachments. All in all, another not really healthy relationship (in which they are low-key co-workers/partners in crime) but it makes my brain turn/pos! Boss and henchman dynamic for the win!!!

And now for some honourable mentions (might be updated when I think of some more opinions)!:

Silktea (Sandy x Huntsman) - Read a few fanfics and seen fan art, I like it but Cyberhunt (Syntax x Huntsman) has grabbed my brain a little bit more solely because it is in fact, a toxic co-worker dynamic LMAO.

Dragonfruit (Mei x Red Son) - This beats spicynoodles for me ngl. I think it's just because the dynamic between these two is stronger and they have more moments together. But then again, I think the Traffic Light Trio are better off as good friends.

BrokenBonesTrio (Macaque x Syntax x Mayor) - This isn't necessarily a ship but the dynamic between these guys is so funny lmao. None of them are normal and so they will not do normal things.

Freenoodles (Pigsy x Tang) - Also really sweet to me, I just, love those two. I know that Lego will probably never officially make them canon but I think it's just a given that the two are in a relationship, married or not. Sometimes the coding in the writing is enough.

Syntax x Shoe Store Worker - An inside joke between me and a mutual of mine but it's a very silly crack ship.

Regardless, none of these ships will top Shadowpuppet for me. I rest my case.

[akatsukiky]

Monkie Kid x Ninjago AU

Because why settle for one favorite Lego cartoon when you could have 3 2! (o7 Legend of Chima)

The focus is on Traffic Light Trio (or Chimera Shipping, Dragonfruit Shipping + MK, or Spicynoodles Shipping + Mei; completely uty interpretation) in the world of Ninjago, specifically my personal favorite season: The Tournament of Elements. Lots of hijinks (or Monkeying Around). There’s also potential for two B Plots, one in which the Masters of Shadow go toe to toe in the early hours of the main story (read: Shade gets his ass kicked by Macaque) and then the main three get a bit of an audience (who is just generally unhelpful as usual). The other B Plot is back in the normal world in which the Parents of the group (SWK, Pigsy, Tang, Sandy) and Bai He realize that MK, Mei, Red Son, and Macaque are all missing then start trying to figure out what happened.

I’m not very good at sustaining a writing mood long enough to write a fic but if someone wants to use the concepts for their own work, please go for it!!!! All I ask is that you drop me a link so I can read along :)

Non S4 compliant (but I’m not sure if anything that happens during it really changes anything??? Just to be safe)

Before getting into it, I’ll be going by the idea that Traffic Light Trio are all biologically 17 (give or take). Red is obviously way way older than that but I want them to be close to the Ninja’s ages so it’s less 17 yo Kai talking to the way more immature 21 yo MK.

So! Plot! Yeah!

Exposition on the concept of other worlds/dimensions adjacent to one’s own (supported by the existence of the Celestial Realm and the underworld), likely being mentioned by Mr. Tang. Probably mentioned other realms/dimensions/worlds connected to JTTW and Ninjago + the Traveller’s Tree/Tea. MK’s curiosity is piqued and he’s really curious about the whole idea of other worlds as a happy young adult who never A) watched The Lego Movie(s), B) Played Lego Dimensions or Disney Infinity, and C) witnessed the UTMV. Sillies aside he and Mei go off to go try and find Red Son who they know can successfully cross worlds with his powers.

When they do find Red Son, he’s in a pretty bad mood (or at least one that’s mildly worse than usual) on account of a large reptile stunk up his current/temp workshop in the city and left its shedding inside. If they try to ask for him to do it then, he’ll definitely wave them off and say he’s too busy which leads into all three of them looking for the snake.

They find it at that exit from SQ’s lair that MK first met LBD inside of. Trauma that gets immediately suppressed??? Angst with immediate comfort from supportive friends??? Nice. Regardless, they find pieces of shedding and tracks that lead them to the conclusion that the reptile is a serpent and has yet to come back. The huge snake comes back then and starts chasing them down the tunnel but there’s no end in sight. Slowly the tunnel starts changing from sewer system to catacomb and when Tradfic Light Trio does emerge, they’re not in their city or their world anymore. Instead they’re in the underground area of Chen’s Island and face to face with Clouse.

While the trio is reasonably confused and alarmed, Clouse gets on his gaslighting. The rundown is essentially that Chen + Clouse found a spell in the spell book they used for the Tournament Power Drainy = Anacondrai thingy that allows suitably powerful entities to rip holes in space-time. Because it opened a gateway but couldn’t be used to summon specific entities, they couldn’t use it to get the Anacondrai out since it would have trapped them inside (or something). So instead they had opened the gateway with the intention of getting something reasonably powerful/mystical through and, because of that, Clouse was 100% ready to act all cordial.

So like I said, Clouse gets on his manipulate mansplain malewife-ing. He hails them as Great Beings (Mata Nui moment) from a different world who Master Chen had hailed here in hopes of finding worthy competitors for his Tournament. MK and Mei jump on that pretty fast (because woah! Cool! A tournament!) and Red is a lot less enthusiastic because he has enough sense to tell when something’s a blatant trap. However, someone (it can be MK, Mei, or Clouse) eggs him on so obviously now he has to get into it because his pride and Honor is on the line. Once they all agree to join, Clouse calls back his snake thing (which definitely startled the trio and they’re very much all “THATS your pet??!?!?!?”) which also shuts the gateway to the LMK world.

Clouse starts leading them through the catacombs to go meet Chen and, as they go, he proposes a “little exchange of information” where he will tell MK and them whatever they want abt the Ninjago world in exchange for info on the LMK world. Mei + Red aren’t too trusting of that but before they really voice their thoughts, MK agrees (to their mild chagrin).

Little note here abt Clouse’s early interactions with the trio. It’s very much about feeling out who is the easiest to manipulate in what way: who’s the most naïve, who has something to prove, who can be cut from the chain by being told that they’re the weak link? In this way he can move them as he likes, just like he and Chen did with all the Elemental Masters in canon.

The information exchange from Clouse’s side is pretty basic as far as Ninjago lore goes. He mentions FSM and Overlord + Elemental Masters and the Cursed Realm. In return this prompts MK to talk about LMK’s cosmogony (or what he knows about it, meaning “like the Big Bonk and stuff”) which Red Son corrects as needed (like with the actual cosmogonic story from JTTW). Then MK gets into SWK, the Journey (in broad OSP-flavored strokes), and Wukong’s retirement (AGAIN to Red’s chagrin, stop talking about how your dad beat up his dad >:/). From there he explains how each of their powers tie to their mentor/ancestor/parents from the Journey but when he starts chatting about the True Fire, Red + Mei interrupt to ask about Chen.

Clouse dodges the question by actually introducing them to Chen who, in turn, dissolves any attempts at interrogation by acting like a senile goofball whenever someone levels a semi-serious question at him. Any sillier, less important questions get immediate answers. Eventually (right when Red is about to start swinging) he calls for food! Chen’s Noodles! This gets MK immediately and he sits to eat, Mei following suit after he’s had a few bites and Red even more hesitantly. (Put a pin in this, ties back to rich/royalty kid conditioning that This Could Be Poisoned, brought up later). MK absolutely slanders Chen’s recipe by saying Pigsy’s is waaaaaaaay better but that this isn’t as bad as the Speedy Panda ‘food.’ Chen asks for tips because evil Wizard guy he may be, he wants good profits from his company efforts. While they get into that, Red and Mei take stock of the room for exits, elevation, and just generally anything they can use to help in a fight because Chen and Clouse are incredibly suspect. (Which does help later with the Jade Blades!) MK is blasting through bowls of the noodles btw, his stomach has got to be bottomless because he’s not even acting like he’s anywhere near full.

Eventually they finish eating and MK (awkwardly) asks if they can go. Clouse shuts that down right away because “the Tournament” and they can go home afterward, if they leave now they’ll forfeit immediately. Very reluctantly, MK agrees that they could stay for the tournament.

From there it gets a little episodic? Kinda vignette-y? They’re staying at Chen’s Island for a few days before the Tournament so it’s mostly little tidbits about that.

As mentioned before there’s the “This Food Could Be Poisoned” thing that Mei and Red talk abt at some point, relating some near misses and how they learned to deal with it (according to Mei, MK can put just about anything short of actual poison in his stomach without getting too sick). Because of the situation, they do tell MK to be a bit mindful abt eating the stuff Chen gives him (which sticks for all of five seconds bc Chen’s implementing Pigsy’s tricks for better noodles as told by MK).

There’s a bit about MK feeling homesick and missing his Dads. Mei’s used to not always being around her parents because they always went off to work trips or she would run away from home to be at MK’s place once she was old enough. Plus, after she got her sword, she feels like she’s never really that far from her family. Red’s more than old enough to cope with not being around his parents, esp since once of them was locked away for hundreds of years (which is a very salty topic). Beyond that, they both were separated from their parents during ROTSQ and S3, so it doesn’t really phase them like it does MK. He’s always had Tang and Pigsy, even in the worst of times, and when he didn’t he had Wukong (except for when he really, really didn’t and even then he had someone to turn to, whether it be Nezha who he had known for like five minutes or Macaque who tried killing him A Lot). But! Like good friends, Mei and Red comfort him.

A third bit in the LMK with Pigsy, Tang, Sandy, and Bai He. Pigsy, Tang, + Sandy are all looking for MK & Mei because they’ve been gone way longer than normal and aren’t answering their phones (which also aren’t even showing their locations beyond the tunnel they were at before going to Ninjago). Tang + Sandy definitely are on Pigsy about not asking Wukong abt it but he’s still justifiably pissed at SWK because he almost got all of them killed a lot on their mini-Journey for the True Fire. While searching they run into a mildly stricken Bai He. (and it stops, it’s a cliffhanger. She’s looking for Macaque and he’s been missing for the same amount of time as the Trio).

So after the vignettes, we get into the meat of the plot with the Tournament beginning! Traffic Light Trio goes down into the main area to listen to the rules with those who just arrived off the ferry to the Island. They marvel at everyone there because that means that they’re probably all people like MK and Mei who have powers but aren’t quite powerful beings like Red and them.

Once they’re sent to their rooms (that they’ve already been staying in), the first competition starts. For drama purposes, Red goes against Kai, Mei vs Jay, and MK vs Lloyd (since their powers are similar). Obv Kai and Jay are furious that they might not be THE Master of Fire/Lightning but just A Master of Fire/Lightning. Red doesn’t really give Kai the time of day and just snatches his Jade Blade after trading some blows, maybe snarks at him too. Mei plays it off with that childlike energy she has sometimes? Very “i like your funny words magic man.”

When it comes down to Lloyd vs MK, it’s very lighthearted but competitive in a fun way (in his opinion) on MK’s end while Lloyd is taking it pretty seriously since Zane is on the line. At first it’s just normal back and forth then MK uses one of his decidedly Golden powers which has Lloyd having an “oh shit!” moment since there was no one else with Golden power after he and Wu lost it last season. They don’t get to chat about it since the competition goes on.

From there it’s the spying portion w the ninja which will instead be split into two subplots. First is the ninja talking abt the competitors and their worries abt Traffic Light Trio. Second is Traffic Light Trio talking abt the competition and what happens if they lose then what the brackets are like. Their 1v1 fights are meant to be Red vs Tox, Mei vs Pale, and MK vs Shade.

Next day has that cafeteria scene with everyone in one place. MK slept in so he’s not there and Mei is off looking for him, so to start out it’s just Red. He gets confronted by Kai about having ‘his power’ which Red thinks is ridiculous. He insults Kai’s arguably worse (in his opinion) fire and how it has nothing on True Fire of Samadhi (blah blah the Ultimate Wildfire). (He mentions the True Fire not specifically because he has it but he still created it when he was born so naturally his powers are still somewhat comparable while Kai’s are not)

While they’re butting heads, it skips over to MK finally leaving his room and encountering Shade who starts antagonizing him for supposedly no reason. He says something that hits hard (not sure what yet? maybe a jab at him about his powers not being his own? just something that Shade, since he’s from Ninjago, should not know). When he dips, Mei comes and gets him then they go back to the cafeteria.

Traffic Light Trio eats together! It’s very nice, fluffy energy with no actual effect on the plot.

We skip the 1v1s up to Skylor’s and have Traffic Light Trio react to Chen’s “because of the NiNjA” penalty. Red is upset, as expected, he doesn’t want to sleep with the peasants. MK and Mei are considerably less upset because it’s like a big sleepover where they get to know everyone! As they go and everyone gets ready for bed, MK tries to reach out and be friendly (which doesn’t really work) except for when he tries chatting with Lloyd. The other 2 ninja did brush him off, but Lloyd talks to him and it’s nice start of friendship talks. They accidentally get a little deep abt responsibility and MK says something vaguely profound before it’s lights out.

Next is when they wake up for Thunderblade(?). Mei and Red are good enough on rollerblades but MK is killing it, as attributed to asking Nezha for some tips and tricks a while back. When Chen announces the game’s rules and how they can help a team, MK doesn’t waste any time picking up the green team helmet (to Red’s chagrin again, he’s so mad that MK’s so impulsive). Kai’s suspicious of them, asks why they’re helping, and MK very genuinely says something along the lines of “well you’re my friends” and Red very testily adds “because he’s stupid.”

Thunderblade is still a losing fight even with Traffic Light Trio so the ninja still end up allying with the other characters. Shade is more of a jerk than in canon and seems to be targeting MK and not Lloyd?

Afterward, the Ninja and Traffic Light Trio have an actual conversation while heading to the sleeping room. Introductions, talks about their powers, just normal-ish stuff. Lloyd brings up what Chen does to losers and MK has this moment where he reflects on both times he lost his powers (to Macaque and to LBD respectively) and grimaces. Mei supports him though and so does Red and they reassure them that they won’t be losing anytime soon.

Now there’s another B Plot moment with Free Noodles and Sandy + Bai He in the LMK world where they’re still trying to figure out what’s happened. They’re talking abt everything they’ve tried, where they’ve looked, and they’ve ‘got nothing.’ Tang mentions they really should just ask SWK for help which Pigsy + Bai He do not want to do. Sandy immediately goes “oopsie see abt that” and SWK shows up.

He asks after MK, when they say they can’t find him or the other three missing people he just shrugs it off, Pigsy’s furious for a good reason (he’s your successor, you need to worry about him too), and SWK reasons that if MK really were in trouble, he’d just astral project or SWK wouldn’t be able to see him with the Golden Eyes of Truth. When Bai He or Pigsy challenge him to do so, however, he finds that MK is just gone. Nowhere to be seen. So SWK starts worrying too! Hooray!

Next day in Ninjago, it’s Red vs Tox. No real things to add here except that Red wins. Maybe he goofs off (in a very serious, Red Son way) and doesn’t really Fight Fight like MK and Mei know he can (like in the first movie where he was ready to incinerate MK

Banquet where Ninja suspect Shade, MK says he’s kinda familiar which Red scoffs at since Shade’s obviously from Ninjago not LMK, and Neuro adds this tidbit that he’s tried looking into Shade’s mind but even that is shrouded in mystery and darkness as if he is less the Master of Shadows but really shadows himself

Traffic Light Trio doesn’t buy into Chen’s lie abt the staff and it really just bolsters them to Not Lose (esp Mei because if someone gets the True Fire then they might actually die)

To that end, Mei ends up talking to Garmadon about her powers (or Garmadon goes to ask what’s on her mind) and the damage they might do if given to someone else. When he tries to console her w the fact that, even in a worst case scenario, all the Elemental Masters here are used to holding immense power. She disputes that right away but when he asks why she thinks it too dangerous, she struggles to answer. Red shows up though and explains the True Fire’s properties, prolly leads into a jump to the next scene

Talking to the masters abt the spy in Kai’s room, Neuro still can’t check Shade’s mind. When he runs off, MK chases him. They have a bit of a showdown where suddenly Shade isn’t acting the same way he was in the room w everyone else. They fight, Shade needles him with his insecurities and hits him in his weak points that really only his friends should know. Eventually MK gets fed up with him and tries to hit him w the Staff. Shade disappears into his own shadow and the room gets dark in a way that’s very familiar to MK. Shade tells him that he’s “really dense” but he should’ve expected that since “like master like student.”

Finally MK catches on that Shade is Macaque, calls him out, and he transforms back into his normal self to say “the one and only” again because that’s one of my favorite lines

That’s pretty much all I’ve thought out, maybe I’ll continue in a different post for the other half of Tournament of Elements