#fluffy duo

[elliespuns]

I'm overworked and underfucked. But at least there's Ellie and Joel.

[team-mythic-beasts]

The next god will be revealed tomorrow, but today I’d like to make an announcement… (to the 2 ppl that follow this blog lol, love you guys 💕)

Mikel has an official second outfit! 🎉

[Off Duty]

Unlike Ludi, who already wears his casual clothes under his gear, Mikel switches out his tunic for a “fresher” look.

He’s not one to be too mindful of his looks, but as a city boy, he understands the importance of appearing at least presentable when going outside.

However, his simple aesthetic only captivates his partner even more… 🤭

[mxmarsbars]

some clocktober doodles from the past few days

sketchbook page below the cut because it’s old and bad but still exists and I love it

[imbibitormel]

girl i miss (checks notes) daedalus and zephryus

[catthinkrightnow]

[noxachi]

self-indulgent emerald duo art

[desertduality]

Scar & Grian (platonic) movie night for a writing prompt ^^

Okay this one I can actually classify as a snippet ajksdkj it's just under 500 words. I hope you like it!! :D

----------

“I brought blankets!”

Scar’s triumphant call is the only warning Grian gets before the world goes dark, several pounds of fluffy knitted wool landing directly on his head. Grian grunts and sputters as fibers stick to his tongue, flailing his limbs in an attempt to remove himself from the impromptu bindings. He surfaces with a gasp, blankets falling into a pile behind him, hair staticky and sticking up at odd angles. He whips his head around to glare at Scar, standing behind him doubled over in breathless laughter. 

“Just for that,” Grian says, turning back to fiddle with the projector. “I get to choose the movie.”

Scar’s laughter cuts off comically fast, and Grian has to bite his cheek to suppress his own giggling, giddy excitement bursting behind his ribcage. It’s way too fun to rile Scar up. 

“What, no!” Scar cries, and Grian doesn’t even have to look to know he’s doing his best begging eyes. “You said you’d watch Star Wars with me! You pinky promised, Grian!”

“One of those blankets was weighted, Scar. You could have killed me,” Grian says, turning around, and— Yep, there were the eyes. He steadfastly ignored them. “Or worse, you could have broken the projector.”

“Fine,” Scar replies, sitting down crosslegged with a huff, leaning back against the couch and starting to remove his leg braces. “Movie night is sacred. I won’t throw things on movie night.”

“Any other time is fair game,” Grian agrees, nodding, grabbing the remote and scooting backwards until he’s next to Scar. “Alright, which one was it that you wanted to watch?”

“We should marathon,” Scar suggests brightly, producing a bag of popcorn out of thin air and loudly opening it. “We can start with the first one. Not the prequels, the actual first movie.”

“Just a heads up, I will be falling asleep,” Grian warns, clicking onto the first movie and tugging blankets over them both. “And that is not an invitation to draw on my face.”

“Make it through the first movie, at least, and I’ll spare you,” Scar jokes, flinging a piece of popcorn at him with a cheeky grin. “If you don’t, I do have a sharpie with me. Be warned.”

“I can’t believe you plan for this stuff,” Grian complains, rolling his eyes with a quiet laugh. “I’ll try, Scar. Happy?”

“Do or do not,” Scar says imperiously, eyes flashing with gleeful mischief. “There is no try.”

“You are insufferable.”

“I love you, too!”

Grian shoves Scar lightly on the shoulder, both of them with amused grins on their face, and popcorn bounces out of the bag onto their laps. Just a typical movie night, really.  Leaning back into the couch cushions, Grian points the remote and presses play. The bold yellow text starts scrolling down the screen, music blaring from the speakers, and Scar cheers. Grian sighs, longsuffering and fond, and sets the remote down on the ground.

(He wakes up in the morning with poorly drawn cat whiskers on his face, looks down at Scar snoring on the floor next to him, and happily returns the favor.)

[drivebypainter]

My favorite part of funny times in fiction is that for some of the characters it is straight angst.

Like for example, SQQ dies multiple times in SVSSS, acts like a fool in his attempts to hide his revival, and gets into lots of shenanigans. The silliness creates a lot of laughs for the audience. However, for characters like LBH, it is literally a 70K hurt no comfort fic.

Don't even get me started on YQY who in the background is like on his Mitski arc dealing with his poor Xiao Jiu whose qi deviation ruined any possible chance of YQY ever truly apolgising.

[valcaine]

always hold your blood gods gently

[celestriix]

i had a vision...

[py-dreamer]

HAPPY 2024 FOLKS

Kickstarting the year with some good ol'stableboys!

Redrew that scene from Spirited Away with Chihiro and Haku to commemorate the year of the dragon!

Yea so in the chinese zodiac, 2024 is the year of the dragon (6th place)

Honestly this was originally just supposed to be a doodle, but as always, it kinda escalated from there 😅

I probably could've shaded wukong better...I mixed the big dark semi-opacity layer technique with painting it by hand and ehh, the four's not my best work

Problem was, making Wukong all shaded and furry made Ao lie look very flat in comparison so I just did some random strokes for the mane and considering his luscious long hair in og and the fact that Haku is quite furry, I made our favourite long noodle dragon fluffy!

I also used the same brush for the whiskers and snout as I did for the trees cause ig if you squint it kinda looks like scales...

(If anyone knows how to draw scales, pls let me know)

Also had to place on big blue layer on top like a filter, cause otherwise everything looked too saturated and bright for it to be nighttime

And I drew this all in one day, woo!

But anywho, what y'all think? And any dragons in the audience?

Reblogs > likes

[tubbytarchia]

Unapologetic desert duo stuff real quick but I really badly need a Grian who can't control his wings when he's shown affection and especially when kissed, please

Really badly need a Scar who finds increasingly obscure times to kiss him in order to catch him off guard because he's amused by Grian's wings flaring up and flapping in response, please

Really badly need Grian to think confidently of his ability to keep his wings at bay and folded when he absolutely can't and it'll still happen even when he initiates something, even when it's a long-lingering touch, even when Scar so much as holds his hand. Please

[aldermoth]

Marek and Ksiti (To @kitesva)

Posted using PostyBirb

[yacinthemorning]

Siren's Song

Summary: Tango and Jimmy have been pining after one another for years at this point. Tango's been acting on incomplete information, and Jimmy's siblings are tired of his silence.

Ships: Jimmy/Tango (Romantic), Grian & Jimmy & Lizzie & Pearl (Familial)

Warnings: Misunderstandings, awkward conversations

[AO3 Link]

“You should tell him.”

Jimmy hummed, not paying attention as he cracked an egg on the side of a sizzling pan. “Tell who? And what?”

“Tango.”

The whole kitchen operation ground to a halt. Even the bacon seemed to sizzle a bit quieter. Dreading it, Jimmy turned around to face his guest. Grian was slumped across the table, getting the pungent stench of sea brine locked in his sweater and long whiskers all over Jimmy’s nice tablecloth. At least he left his boots and rod by the door.

Within his hand was a golden feather. Quite literally. A gift forged just for Jimmy in the absence of Tango possessing his own wings. Given Jimmy knew for a fact he’d last placed it in his jewellery box, his brother was most certainly snooping through his things for it. Had Tango told him about it? Or was it Pearl betraying him?

Lizzie sat beside him, her teacup held still at her lips as her wide eyes darted between the two brothers. There was a look in her eyes when they landed on Jimmy, though. When were you going to tell me about this? Only Pearl’s chair sat empty still, her snores echoing down the corridor.

Taking a deep breath as to not shout or scream or anything else that might give him away, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Jimmy, you’ve been dancing around it for two years.”

“Yes, and?”

“Haven’t you thought of how to tell him at all?”

“Of course I have!” Jimmy snapped, throwing his hands in the air. “I’ve been trying, but it’s... Tango’s just so...” He turned on his heels, abandoning his work all together, and held up his comm for his siblings to see. “Look! Look at this!”

Both leaned in. It was a photo, one in a set sent from his beloved rancher from Hermitcraft of his new base. Tango was in the foreground, big goofy grin on his face as he held up a peace sign. In the background was the beginnings of the airship he’d recently launched above his factory. And at the centre of it all...

Lizzie gasped, turning into a squeal halfway through. “Oooh, Jimmyyy!”

“Tim...” Grian said, pity and schadenfreude in equal parts. Jimmy groaned.

It was a mess, but it was unmistakable. A nest, made of over-stuffed pillows and encompassed by a weave like a large basket. A nest, for when Jimmy came to visit. To make the avian feel comfortable...

“Mate, I’m absolutely screwed.” He lamented, shushing Grian before he could make a comment on his wording. “He’s out here making nests! For me!”

“Do you think he’s done his research?” Asked Lizzie, even while her shining gaze remained on the picture.

“Oh gosh, I hope not!” The only thing worse than Tango building him a nest would be Tango telling any of the hermit avians what he was doing. He slumped across the table. “What do I do...”

“Tell. Him.” Grian hissed, waving the golden feather in front of Jimmy. “Honestly, I don’t know why you haven’t yet. It’s like you just let every chance pass you by as far back as double life itself. Honestly, I know things are different in the games-”

“You have that right! I didn’t even know if I’d see him again!” Jimmy pointed out, even as his face heated. He needed to go jump in the sea.

And it was all so very true. When he awoke back on Empires he hadn’t known what to do with himself or his feelings. It’s not as if he and Tango had overlapping lives outside the games, and the games were never a guarantee to happen unless his brother thought of one. As far as they were concerned, they could have never crossed paths again, the feelings Jimmy stupidly let grow left adrift. He probably would have left it that way, too, if his brother hadn’t made that portal. But now it was two years later and they messaged almost every day, and Tango was doing all sorts of silly things he’d only half-heard second-hand about avians, and like a coward Jimmy still hadn’t told him...

“Just come back with me for a visit and talk to him.” Grian said, handing over the feather.

Easier said than done.

But he could tell looking at his siblings they wouldn’t take no for an answer. Jimmy had a sinking suspicion, with where Pearl and Grian lived this season, Tango might find out on accident even if Jimmy didn’t tell him himself. Nothing could be worse than Grian telling him. “Alright.” He muttered, every appendage drooping.

“Excellent, we’ll leave tomorrow.”

“What’s this? Is Jimothy coming with us?” Croaked Pearl, stumbling into the kitchen. There was already mischief in her eyes.

Jimmy turned to Lizzie with the biggest, most pleading eyes he could muster. She only smiled and waved, “Go get em, tiger!”

He was doomed.

Jimmy stumbled out into Hermitcraft on a well-kept lawn, and yelped as the cold air hit him. “Wait, wait! My glamour!”

“Come on, Tim. Fix it later, Tango’s waiting!”

His siblings giggled as they ran off, leaving Jimmy to deal with himself. With a grumble he turned to his comm. Mods were not something Jimmy was good with navigating, and despite how they played Hermitcraft had so very many. The last time he was on the server he’d been glamoured for the charity event they’d put on, and never changed before he left.

Enraptured by the settings, he’d only just navigated to the right tab when hot breath brushed his ear, “Hey there, cowboy!”

Jimmy shrieked, accidentally slamming down on his comm. In a puff enormous wings erupted from his back and flared out, only slightly hindered as they slammed into something- someone- else. Tango let out a cry, followed by a hard thunk.

Jimmy spun around, eyes wide and feathers puffed. “Oh my gosh, you scared the life out of me! Are you okay?”

Splayed out on the ground, face contorted in pain but held up a shaky thumbs-up. “I probably deserved that.” He wheezed. Jimmy leaned down and heaved the poor blazeborn back up onto his feet. Both winced as his back cracked. “Ugh, you been working those out?”

“They’re wings, Tango, they can lift me into the sky.” He teased back while he brushed the dust off Tango. That sunshine grin was already back on Tango’s face, making it hard not to melt. Instead, Jimmy booped his nose, getting a whine, before pulling him into a hug. “Hey, my rancher.”

A rumble rippled through Tango into Jimmy as his clawed hands wrapped around Jimmy’s torso. “So, what do we owe the pleasure of your visit, songbird?”

“I came to see you, actually.” Murmured Jimmy through a wince. Now began the hard part.

Tango cooed, tail wrapping around Jimmy’s ankle. “Aw, little old me? Miss my losing personality and uncharming bad looks?”

“Stop that!” He huffed, reaching up to mess with Tango’s warm, fiery locks. The playfulness slowly died, though. It was happening today, he promised. “I, um, actually...”

“Hm?” Tango leaned back to look at him.

“There’s... There was something I wanted to talk to you about. Something important. And also something I wanted to give to you.”

Lips pursed for a moment, before Tango seemed to catch on. “Oh! Uh, yeah, yeah. Here, c’mon, I got just the place we can talk!”

Like that he took off on his elytra, Jimmy following only a bit behind. The server had changed so much since he was last here, it felt like he’d never been on to begin with. There were certain builds he recognized, however. As soon as Tango’s airship came into view Jimmy figured exactly where they were going. He only hoped the wind cooled his face before they landed.

Just as suspected, Tango stumbled onto the ship deck and gestured for his rancher to follow him down into its belly. At the very back, in its own little special room, was the nest. It was even bigger in person, and Tango had clearly tried to work on it a bit more since he sent Jimmy that picture. There were now even flowers and trinkets woven in, and at some point Tango had thrown a familiar red sweater and less familiar orange blanket into it all.

“I, um, I heard from False that you’re supposed to use stuff from family and such to help make it, and I didn’t really wanna be presumptuous about anyone so I only got something from Grian and Pearl. I don’t... I don’t really know much about other origins, so...” Tango rambled, rubbing the back of his neck and looking anywhere but Jimmy. He seemed to debate, pacing towards and away once more from the nest, unsure if he should make himself comfortable. So, he had spoken to avians. Knew exactly what he was doing.

Jimmy let out a sigh and smiled. He reached out, snatching Tango’s wrist as he walked by once more, stopping him only for a second before pulling him over to sit in the nest. A funny little squeak left the blazeborn, his flames jumping about. “Tango, can I give you something I made?” He nearly whispered, trying to stamp out his nerves to hold Tango’s hands between his own.

The blazeborn nodded with another noise. Jimmy reached into his inventory. With a final deep breath he held it up. Tango sucked in a breath. His hands held out for the little necklace of small, multicoloured pearls and sea glass to fall into it. The centrepiece, carved out of driftwood and prismarine crystals, dangled off the side, fracturing the light emitting from Tango’s tail into a kaleidoscope across the blazeborn’s lap. It was Jimmy’s best work, if he could brag just a bit. Tango deserved far better, but it was Jimmy’s best.

“Bu- Blazeborn forge gifts, right?” He tried to explain, fiddling with the golden feather around his own neck. “For the people they care about. I wanted to make you something, too. I don’t know if there’s any rules of anything, I hope this is okay-”

“It’s amazing, Jim.” Tango breathed out. “You’re amazing.”

Jimmy’s face burned.

There was a silence, in which Tango carefully hooked the necklace around his neck, and stared in awe at it. Jimmy’s heart pounded in his chest at the sight. He never thought someone might look at something he made like that. Temptation pulled Jimmy forward ever so slowly, until Tango also looked up. They stayed there, faces inches apart soft breath ghosting one another’s skin.

Then Tango’s eyes, for only the smallest moment, darted. Nervous, perhaps, but it was curiosity that flitted through his gaze as it went over Jimmy’s shoulder. Towards...

The nest’s weave brushed roughly against Jimmy’s leg.

Jimmy’s swallowed hard, and licked his lips. “Tango, I have something to tell you.” He said, nearly croaked. Tango hummed, leaning in ever closer with half-lidded eyes. Jimmy took a deep breath.

“I’m... I’m not an avian.”

For a moment, nothing happened. And for a second moment, and a third. Until the cogs in Tango’s mind visible began spinning once more, and his first words were, “What?”

Both backed away, out of shock, out of shame. Jimmy stuttered, “I’m not an avian, I wasn’t born...” He lost his words, letting out a small, helpless whine as he gestured vaguely towards the nest. “This isn’t... how I do things...”

Tango’s gaze darted about with his mind, expression twisting between bewilderment and growing embarrassment. “When we were in double life-”

“It’s part of my curse.” He ran a hand through his hair, his wings beating behind him. “It turns me into this when we play the games. I wasn’t one before, or even during third life. I just use it sometimes as a glamour cause that’s how some people know me...”

“But Grian- your siblings-”

“They aren’t either. Grian made an avian glamour cause he liked flying so much. And Pearl and Lizzie just like dressing up for the games. When they joined they thought it’d be cute to match. I don’t think moth and butterfly hybrids are even avians, technically. They all- us all like using origin glamours a lot, I guess. We’ve all been quite a few things for various servers.”

Tango went quiet, and Jimmy whimpered. Guilt began to gnaw at his innards. A hand flicked up towards the nest, “So, all this is...” Jimmy just shook his head. A noise like a deflating balloon escaped the blazeborn, and Jimmy couldn’t take it anymore. He looked away.

“Tango, I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to lie, I promise. It’s just... It didn’t seem so important back then. I didn’t think we’d ever speak outside the games so it didn’t even cross my mind to explain. Until you gave me that feather I’d not thought about it at all, I’m really sorry. You put so much-”

“What are you, then?”

It wasn’t unkind, his tone, but Jimmy’s fists curled into the cloth of his pants as if being scolded nevertheless. With a brush against his comm the glamour dissipated. Wings washed away into mush smaller and frailer fins, muddy brown tail stretching out across the blankets. His gills stuttered for a moment, expecting water to wash through them and only receiving air. Jimmy shifted uncomfortably, feeling himself drying out from the stress of it all. It shouldn’t feel like such a big deal to show his real face, should it?

But there was that little nagging tug in the back of his mind. A traitorous set of thoughts with no foundation for any of them, he knew, but they dug their way in anyways. What if Tango only liked his wings? What if a blazeborn couldn’t find anything to care for in a merman? What if he thought Jimmy deliberately deceived him? What if he lost his trust forever, or though Jimmy never trusted him to begin with?

It was all interrupted by a sudden shriek. Tango flung one arm out, the other against his forehead, eyes wide. “That’s why they’re all fishy fisherman! Oh my god!” He turned to Jimmy, as if he’d just solved the meaning of the universe. “I can’t believe I missed that! That’s why they’re so good at it...”

“Um, I guess so?” Jimmy stammered, entire body too tense to do anything else.

Revelations settling in, Tango finally seemed to take note of his rancher’s tension, and quieted. “Sorry... Just... I’m kinda stupid.”

“You’re not!” Jimmy snapped, grabbing hold of Tango’s hand before it could start digging into his skin. “You’re the smartest guy I know.”

Tango laughed, though why Jimmy didn’t know. His non-existent self-esteem was no laughing matter! There were few things Jimmy loathed more than the lies Tango told himself. But Tango’s expression then turned soft, and Jimmy was reminded this wasn’t about Tango. “Yeah?” He teased as his hands reached out. They cupped Jimmy’s face, pulling it in towards Tango’s own. “Well, you’re the funniest guy I know. And the coolest, and hardest working, and the cutest-”

“Stop.” whined Jimmy, his face unable to get any redder. It didn’t halt him in the slightest, only eliciting a gleeful chuckle.

“And the sweetest.”

He was going to die, his heart was going to burst right out of his chest and kill him. That’s all Jimmy could think in that moment, staring into Tango’s eye, filled to bursting with warmth and fondness. How did he wind up here, with someone looking at him like that? Before Jimmy could stop himself, he leaned forward. Their lips met for only moment, but so eagerly reciprocated. Not even fully separated yet, it slipped out, weak and longing, “I love you.”

Tango’s claws brushed back, combing through the hair behind Jimmy’s fins. “I love you too.” He whispered, as if it were a special secret he couldn’t stop himself from sharing. It’s what it felt like, to Jimmy’s poor heart. He was absolutely going to die right here, and he’d be just fine with that.

It took a while for the two to untangle. In the end, it was prompted by the small clack of prismarine against gold. Tango withdrew first, Jimmy following after him in a daze for a brief moment until he too awoke from their little dreamland. He held up the necklace, claws brushing over the pearls. “So... Is this what merman do? For, uh, for courting?”

Jimmy shook his head. “Oh, no, not usually. I just thought, you know. You’re a blazeborn and all... Unless you’re also not telling me the truth.”

“Born and raised.” He chirped, tail flicking for emphasis. Jimmy laughed.

“I suppose some people trade curiosities they find. It’s more about... spending time together? Doing things together, trying the same things, swimming beside one another, being close...”

“Well,” Tango drawled, wrapping an arm around the taller’s waist and pulling him close. “I can’t really do the swimmy swimmy thing, but I can most certainly get all up in your personal space if close is what you want.”

“You absolute menace!” Jimmy shrieked, though his grin never left. No, Jimmy was more than fine having Tango this close, and closer.

[adrift-in-thyme]

Remember that Sky Saves Fairy Time fic y’all chose for me to work on next? Well, it’s finished!!

Look out folks this one’s angsty >:)

[fluffypotatey]

evil swk only it's him finally fed up with everyone hurting mk so he kills the latest villain of the week and takes the powers of the Jade Emperor for his own thus: Monster (epic)

oops, hands slipped!

He meets MK on accident. Sun Wukong does not make it his ordeal to wander where mortals are near, but sometimes needs must. his little Suns have chosen to pester him about this specific brand of chips (how they ever got their hands on a bag of chips in the first place is a mystery of itself), so after hours of twisting his arm, Wukong obeyed their pleading cries and whines.

the accident came when Wukong found himself run over by a meager delivery cart. the boy, probably only two decades old, hopped off his death kart immediately, apologies spilling from his lips while Wukong debated throwing his disguise down the gutter and raising this whole block to the ground.

“—you have to understand! The Megapolis Grand Prix has a grand prize of an immortal peach and I thought I could both race and deliver, you know, kill two birds with one stone and all that but—“

“I don’t really care, kid.”

The mortal was quick to shut his mouth and nodded. Another apology was thrown out while Wukong dusted off the spare dirt from his clothes, and he was pretty sure the mortal made sure to follow him back to the safety of the sidewalk. It was a little overbearing, but Wukong was trying to keep a low profile for the sake of a stupid bag of chips. He would rather not bring Heaven or any other celestial’s attention to himself.

The things he did for his monkeys.

-

He met MK again on New Years. Again, his little Suns sent his out for a task— apparently, some idiot decided to teach them what noodles were and Wuking spent months suffering while they bemoaned and cried about it.

There was a plaza full of food trucks, so Wukong figured he’d find noodles over there somehow.

“Oh! It’s you!”

Wukong was startled by the smile, how it spread wide, so easily like a trained soldier (except soldiers were more fixed and lacked the warmth this smile gave). The mortal stood behind one of the windows of a truck, apron tied around him.

Wukong grunted put a hello.

“Can I get you anything?”

“Eight helpings of noodles.”

“Wow, that’s quite the haul! Got a party or something?”

“More like a family of rascals.”

The mortal laughed, quickly writing down the order before placing somewhere near the kitchen. There followed some indignant shouting about the order while the mortal— MK, the cool called him MK— placated and answered all the cook’s questions.

“It’ll be ready in an hour? Maybe longer.”

-

The third time, he found MK through his monkeys. A mortal, they had chirped at him, a mortal on the beach! Color him surprised when it was his mortal he found. How he got past the volcanic mountains was something he figured MK would tell him when he woke up.

And, boy, did he ever.

MK told Wukong of his old sworn brother, the Demon Bull King, and the would-be Spider Queen. Two demons who found it in their heads that Megapolis was their city, and neither were keen on sharing. And both seemed to believe that their solution was a secret weapon hidden in Wukong’s vault.

“And we thought— my friends and I— that if we found it first, then they wouldn’t be able to.”

It was a hilarious story. One Wukong made sure to laugh at in MK’s face. Because really, why would either demon think they had the balls to invade his island?

“I’m serious! We need to find it now or else they’ll—“

“Tell me, MK,” Wukong spoke, keeping a bright smile on his face. It was different from the ones MK would share. Less genuine and more senile. “How much do you truly know about me?”

Finding the terror in the mortal’s eyes shouldn’t have been endearing, but Wukong would argue that after receiving plenty, he was open to judge them all. While MK was slow on the uptake on who he was talking to, he was a quick learner in figuring out just how dangerous Wukong could be.

In the end, neither of the demons stepped foot on his island. And if he had to twist their arms a little to ensure there would be no future attempts of them sneaking in, that was between Wukong and them. The fact that a little delivery boy was included in that clause was neither here nor there.

-

The fourth time was when Azure made his appearance on Wukong’s island, smiling and laughing as if none of the past millennia had ever happened. Wukong played a good host to his old brother even while his skin crawled and his little Suns whined. But that all came to pause when out of Azure’s scroll came MK and more of his old brothers.

“So you used him,” he asked, eyes closely watching the mortal shake and tremble (he was mumbling something too but Azure was speaking too loudly).

“We needed someone on the inside in order to retrieve the rest of our brothers. With all of us here and reunited, we can finally put Heaven in their place!”

Wukong tilted his head. “What of the Bull King?”

He watched MK flinch when Azure scoffed, the mortal clutching his robes tighter. He was still in shock, but it would not last long. The new buzz of magic told him as much.

“He has forsaken the cause.” There seemed to be more but MK finally cracked.

“You said we’d free my friends.”

Wukong raised a brow, watching Azure’s careful sigh and friendly smile.

“And we will, but there is something I must do first. You have to understand?”

MK shook his head. “You promised. I’d go in the scroll and free my friends. You said you’d help me—“

“And I will, MK.”

“No you won’t.”

All eyes faced Wukong. He saw as Peng rolled their eyes, ever the dramatic one, but Wukong chose to ignore him.

“Azure is too set on his goal of overthrowing the Emperor that no other task will matter until that endeavor is complete.”

“And we will complete it. Wukong, you are not one to be so glum.”

“A lot has changed.”

“So much that you would turn your back once more to us?”

Wukong watched as MK’s eyes pleaded at him.

“I would.”

-

Given that he was the last one in possession of the missing memory scroll, the Diyu was quick to point their fingers on Wukong and claim MK as his accomplice. How they came to that conclusion was, quite frankly, insane and stupid of them. Wukong told them as much while they placed him on trial.

“And yet there is no other living soul we can find.”

“Well, duh,” he sniffed, keeping MK behind him at all costs, “I killed them all.”

“So you could have it for yourself?”

“Because they threatened my subjects.”

This one king was starting to get on his nerves. All his questions seemed posed to specifically point all attention on MK and Wukong refused to bring any attention to him. He’s not blind, there was obviously something mystical with the mortal. What exactly, he wasn’t sure. He could just hear Macaque lecturing him about it. As if that shadow monkey knew anything! He just spent most of his time trying to steal the attention of Wukong’s subjects like the asshole he was!

“And so why was this mortal involved?”

Again, the same king. He was a strange one, his magic not exactly the same as the others. Wukong was not liking the look of him.

And it turned out his instincts were right. As the trial continued and he asked more questions, the King began to call MK the harbinger, a title MK seemed to recognize and freeze at.

But in the end, none of their words held any good defense. Not that Wukong expected anything different. In fact, he was excited for it. Both the Diyu and Heaven have dreamed of shackling him down once again ever since his first havoc. So, when the chains came to shackle MK as well, Wukong felt he was excused enough to start a little mayhem.

Or a lot.

Actually, a lot, a lot.

It was only a pleasant occurance that Heaven chose to bring Wukong up to their realm and place him before the Emperor. And if said Emperor threatened to erase MK out of punishment of Wukong’s behavior?

Well.

Who is to say that Wukong is not excused from cutting that old goat down to size?