#jade furnace au

[akystaracer22]

Pigsy's reference is here! I've never actually drawn Pig's like this before, so drawing the boar was a challenge. I ended up giving him a full beard and sideburns accidentally, but I think it looks good on him.

Jade Furnace's Pigsy is a pig demon who's harsh demeanour comes from past experience. He had horrible luck with both relationships and friendships up until Tang came along, both of them were really great for one another!

Pigsy usually wears a glamour that hides both his tail, and his two pairs of tusks. Why he does this is a secret only his husband knows, just like how he was the only one that Tang ever told about the brood.

A few extra bits of information for this reference:

Pig tails come uncurled! They're curled when they're newly born in order to stop the piglets from eating them and gaining a taste for pig meat.

Similar reasons for the tusks. This is also why Pigsy has these traits, something newer pig demons don't have.

Pigsy has a similar body type to most weightlifter's and powerlifters. He's got a belly and he has a huge diet when he eats, but he could also uproot a tree and throw it if he really wanted to. The weight stops his body from cannibalising itself to get the energy it needs.

Pigsy had a bite force of 10,000 newtons.

[quitealotofsodapop]

The Egg Aus where Wukong spends a significant amount of time in Heaven, Peaches, and TMKATI Wu have glasses. Basically his eyes are so fucked up from the Furnace that he actually has terrible eyes sight and that's why he 'can't read.' It's not that he never learned how, he jsut can't see shit unless he's using Gold Vision due to the injuries he sustained during the Havoc in Heaven

YUP

we be talking in dms about this - Wukong needs glasses/eye care. I have an older TMKATI post about it here + here + Goddess of Eyesight.

Although our dear monkey boy is a medical nerd, he's terrified of actually seeing someone for his own ailments (getting nearly executed a bunch by celestials does that to you).

But in the cases where his adoptive family (mortal or celestial) get a hold of him, they demand he seek medical help for his obvious scars and eye problems.

Man can't read not because he can't but because he can't see. He ain't got his prescription!

Princess Yanguang - Goddess of Eyesight, is so hilarious to remember, since she's almost achingly normal compared to the rest of her family.

Yanguang: "Mother, Father, there's something I truly desire and I wish for your blessing." Jade Emperor & Xiwangmu, sharing panicked thoughts: "Oh crap, she's in love, isn't she?" "She's always been so independent, she's never shy to ask something she wants." Yanguang: "i want to study Optometry." Jade Emperor & Xiwangmu: (*MASSIVE sighs of relief!*) Jade Emperor: "Oh thank the Pure Ones, I thought it was something terrible. Yeah, you can go study eye medicine or what have you." Yanguang: "Sweet." (*goes to Earth and stays as an immortal Optometrist*)

this of course leads to hilarious interactions with Wukong/Peaches, whom she manages to convince to let her look at his damaged eyes.

Wukong: "Yeah they've been red and gold since the Furnace. Ever since then I've been able to activate Gold Vision." Yanguang: "You burned your corneas, dumbass." Wukong: "Huh?" Yanguang: "Glamours don't work on people with already damaged eyesight. Your species likely has Gold Vision-built in and it activates with sight decay." Wukong: "Sooooo... about glasses-" Yanguang: "You need them. And you desperately need eye drops. Same thing happened with Tieshan's boy when he kept setting fire to everything." Wukong: "Dang it."

Peaches/Wukong chooses to wear contacts most of the time for appearance’s sake, and he dislikes the feeling of "stuff" on his head (circlet and celestial trauma). He does bust out the glasses if he just needs to read something real quick.

We also pointed out in the DMs that with Wukong having Gold Vision, Macaque having his Six Ears, and MK being the Worst Liar Ever, the monkeys accidentally form;

See No Evil, Hear No Evil, Speak No Evil;

Divine monkeys be anti-scamming measurements.

[topaz-witch-tea]

Yanqing’s Happy Family AU: Yingxing’s Parenting

It’s been a while since I last posted something for Yanqing’s Happy Family AU. I took a much needed vacation from work so now I am a lot more energized and ready to write. Work and the fact that my free time is 9 PM - 12 PM makes it hard to write, which is why my work has a lot of typos. I try my best to catch all of them but some do slip through.

Please enjoy my head canons on Yingxing’s parenting. Please feel free to send me asks and messages, you can also send them anonymously if you wish. You can ask about head canons, current, or future works and anything that strikes your fancy. I am opening to answering most things. I hope to have a proper writing schedule set up for me so I can write more. My brain keeps cooking food but I can’t plate and serve them efficiently. 😂

1. Yingxing makes all of the swords Yanqing uses. From his main sword to the spares on his back and even the daggers he hides on his body, Yingxing forged all of them. This was his child after all, how could he let anyone else but the best make his son’s weapons and he was the Furnace Master, and therefore, the best. Improperly made weapons could decide life and death in the battlefield and he would be damned if the reason his child was buried before him was because of poorly made weaponry. He poured countless hours and funds into creating these weapons all to ensure that it was the best. Yanqing, in turn, shared his father’s love for swords and loved collecting them, especially ones his father made. Private auctions or competitions were the only way to get non-custom swords made by the Furnace Master and Yanqing competed in them constantly. Sure, he would spend his entire allowance for the next two weeks just to get his hand on a sword his father crafted completely out of jade, but it was absolutely stunning from a collector’s point-of-view and he simply could not let the opportunity pass him by.

2. Yanqing would collect the swords of other master’s as well, but he would never use them on the battlefield. Until one day, when a new craftsman who had transferred from the Yaoqing arrived on the Luofu. He was an expert in daggers infused with qi and Yanqing was absolutely smitten with them. So much so that he replaced the daggers Yingxing gave him with the qi-infused ones during an minor expedition. The expedition was successful and Yanqing was more than happy with his purchase. Yingxing, however, was not happy to hear he was been replaced with someone else. To him, swords were his and Yanqing’s thing, so to hear that Yanqing no longer carried his daggers but those of another craftsmen was a strike to his heart. He fretted over whether it was due to his skill as a craftsman or maybe the designs were not in style. He took this matter so personally that he had suddenly burst into tears right as he and his husbands were going to sleep. Of course, Yanqing got tired of the daggers in a week or so and returned to using the ones his father crafted for him. They just felt more comfortable and far more suited to his fighting style then anything else he could buy at the market.

3. Yingxing, out of the three, is by far the strictest. His success in life was due to self-discipline and perseverance, something he hopes to impart upon Yanqing. However, “strict” should be taken with a grain of salt. Yingxing will say no to Yanqing when it comes to certain purchases but a successful sword lesson or an excellent exam score is enough to make Yingxing open his wallet. He does try his best to teach Yanqing financial responsibility, but it’s hard for him to preach that when he was doing the same thing at Yanqing’s age.

4. Before every mission, Yingxing checks every weapon Yanqing is bringing with him to the battlefield. It doesn’t matter if Yanqing has polished and inspected each item the night before, Yingxing has to look at it. The sharpness and sturdiness of the blade, the quality of the sheath, even the way it is attached to Yanqing- everything has to be checked. While Yingxing will tell his son that it is for his safety, it is more for Yingxing’s own anxiety. There are times he is unable to follow his child onto the battlefield, and in those moments, his mind spins a thousand horrible scenarios of his child’s fate. To know that all of Yanqing’s weapons are in order is the only thing he can do as he waits for his child to return home.

[anxiescape]

Can I ask you about Celestial Bodies AU.

First, how did Macaque born? Second, did he ever feel trapped in the Celestial Realm and never leave? Third, the Jade Emperor and the Emperess were cruel to punish Macaque like that but did Wukong know what had happened to him, if so how did he react? Lastly, will they be together again?

Please and thank you.

Sure!

1) Macaque hatched from a meteorite that landed in the courtyard of the Jade Emperor's Palace, similar to how Wukong hatched from a stone on Flower Fruit Mountain.

2) He never felt trapped in the Celestial Realm. Not at first. But then, one day, he met Sun Wukong, who was visiting for the first time. He was enthralled by the Monkey King's stories, and began to wonder what the mortal realm was like. Macaque asked other celestials who had been down to Earth before, but he wasn't satisfied by their answers, and wanted to see the world for himself. So he began to sneak out. 🤫

3) Yes, what the Jade Emperor did was very cruel (and the Queen Mother did not help the situation). And not to give too much away, but no—Wukong didn't know what all had happened to Macaque, until they were reunited after the Pilgrim journey. He only knew that Macaque had been imprisoned for his crimes against the Celestial Realm, and the Jade Emperor swore that Wukong would never see the Six-Eared Macaque ever again. Wukong was very angry, and he reacted similarly to how he did in JTTW/LMK—he fought the Jade Emperor, lost, was cast into the Trigram Furnace, survived, fought the Celestial Realm again, lost again, lost to the Buddha, and was imprisoned under the mountain. But this time, when Guanyin chooses him to be part of the pilgrim group meant to aid the monk, Tang Sanzang, he refuses. That is, until she promises to speak to the Jade Emperor about freeing Macaque, if Wukong sees the journey through to its safe and successful end. So of course, Wukong agrees to aid the monk.

And lastly, yes, they will be together again. Because I just love a hard-earned happy ending, gosh darn it. 💕

Thank you for the ask! It was fun to answer! 😁

[cloud-somersault]

don’t think i didn’t notice Wukong’s unfinished thought about how the Celestial court was aware and took note of Macky’s birth despite it being not well known, meaning that Wukong’s actions in keeping MK’s origins unknown are most likely futile and in vain

because i haven’t forgotten 👀 and i have been quietly taking note of this “little star” and how Wukong believed he failed them and that it involved Heaven (maybe) making Wukong more cautious about the Celestial Primate status for MK (aka, “little sky” which is the translation of MK’s Chinese name and is coincidentally similar to little star 👀) but with Heaven already being, assumedly, very aware of MK’s origins, Wukong’s caution would be all for naught

so yeah! don’t think i haven’t ignored this mini thread which i assume will be left open ended for this au

haha, good detective work! Since Wukong heard Macaque's Celestial Record, he now knows what Heaven does and doesn't know about them. The fact that they know about the anomalies is very concerning to Wukong because of MK, yes, but specifically, he doesn't want Heaven to know about MK because of what happened to Little Star.

Throughout Constellations, Wukong often remarks about how Heaven views him, and that applies to all celestial primates. These monkey demons aren't outright vile and beyond redemption, but Heaven is cautious around them/regards them carefully just based on what Wukong did. They know that each one of them is powerful on their own, but together? They're unstoppable.

That's why Wukong and Macaque were tortured separately. They're very cautious when it comes to handling them.

So of course, after Wukong finally figured out that MK was a celestial primate, he does his best to keep MK away from Heaven. In chapter 1, I originally had MK's clones go with Wukong to Heaven to turn in the furnace. I wrote that before the details of this AU were fully planned out, so I went back and edited out that only Wukong's clones went to Heaven.

Wukong essentially wants to keep MK out of Heaven's sights and mind. That's why he never corrects the Jade Emperor when he says that Wukong defeated the Lady Bone Demon; Wukong knows MK was the one to defeat her, but he's letting the Emperor believe it was him to protect MK.

Macaque shares in this protection for obvious reasons, but it's also because of what happened to Little Star. Both Wukong and Macaque are fiercely protective of MK because they don't want history to repeat itself.

As for what happened to Little Star...

Wukong often meditates and goes searching through the cosmos for...something. He says he hasn't found it for over 2,000 years.

The central theme of the fic is the connections we share with each other and how they look like constellations in the sky in how everyone is connected.

Little Star was born from embers, and when they were born, all the stars in the sky burned brighter for a single moment.

Every celestial primate is connected to a celestial body or spacial...object of some kind. Wukong and the sun, Macaque and the moon, MK and the earth and all 6 realms.

Every celestial primate is connected to a season: Wukong and autumn, Macaque and winter, MK and spring, Little Star and summer.

Wukong and Macaque often speak about teaching Little Star things, but Macaque told Wukong at the inn that they never get things right. He tells Wukong when they're getting the lantern piece the hiker has that it's not easy teaching someone. Wukong thinks to himself on the roof of Pigsy's restaurant that if Macaque weren't so full of himself, he wouldn't have to search every time he meditates.

What do you think happened to Little Star?

[erenspussy420]

Writing Materlist

AO3: TWST Brainrotting NSFW

(This has all nsfw posts of Twst on one fic)

SFW:

Android Au Intro 1

Android Au Intro 2

Android Au Intro 3

Android Au Intro 4

Android Au Intro 5

Yandere Ace: I’ll break you twice

Yandere Leona: The pain of wanting

NSFW

Fandoms:

Twisted Wonderland:

Twst Guys that will totally let you use them as a 🍆🍆: (Feat: Kalim, Ruggie,Deuce, and Silver)

twst guys who would totally let you use them as a  🍆🍆 part 2 : (Feat: Azul, Neige, Leona, Rook)

Twst Guys who are definitely are going to use you as a  🍑🍆💦 : (Feat: Leona, Trey, Floyd, Vil)

Twst Guys who are gonna use you like a 🍑🍆💦 part 2: (Feat: Jade, Jamil, Idia)

Twst Guys who are into face-sitting : (Feat: Leona, Ruggie, Cater, Azul, Sebek, and Che’yna)

Vil,Rook, and Neige (dom) with Bottom S/O who cries during 💦 : (feat: Vil, Rook,Neige)

Riddle with an S/O who cries during and after 💦

SFW/NSFW Headcanons for Dire Crowley and Divus Crewel

Leona, Kalim, and Trey saying something weird during sex: male reader!

Dorm Leaders P1 WHO DOES THE BABYGIRL POSE: FEAT- RIDDLE, LEONA,KALIM, VIL

Jade, Azul, Floyd with an SO who cried during sex

Potions Mishap (Neige LeBlanche Oneshot)

Reader Insert x Male Crush:

Morning and Evening💦 

Original Works:

Take Me With You (Male Disney Princesses x OC)--Paralogue

Take Me With You (Male Disney Princesses x OC)-- Wishing Well

Eren Yeager:

Most is Modern Au ish

Hot Furnace

kiss kiss fall in love!

Use him, make him go “🥵”

More modern Eren Au but with slutty slutty shorts

EREN’S HAS A FACE AND YOU HAVE A PLACE TO SIT

Eren got a dildo of his own dick for you 

Modern Au Eren likes smelling like you PT 1

Modern Au Eren likes smelling like You PT2

[skellebonez]

Cotton Tails and Borrowed Time: Aftermath and Remix... and Some Stuff Between. Chapter 2

Remix/Aftermath: Actual Bunny Tang AU 1

This is the start to an alternative ending au that was discussed but decided early on to not be the canon ending. A few chapters of this compilation will be set in this au to explore what MAY have happened should Tang not actually mustered up the strength to finally scream his confession at the last moment (so now you have some answers!).

AO3 Link.

Lao Tzu was a fool for thinking that his days had finally gone back to normal.

He thought that, maybe, everything had calmed down since the… what had Erlang Shen called it? The "heist" that had pulled off in their realm.

Losing the furnace wasn't good by any measure, and the damage to the peach tree garden had taken some time to repair. But in the grand scheme of things? He felt he had the right to be a little annoyed that half his lab has been trashed by an unknown intruder.

Though, to be fair, it was impressive they made it up here in the first place.

They all knew who had broken in, it was no secret. But, for whatever reasoning he may have been using, the Jade Emperor had decided… not to punish them.

Granted. Lao Tzu supposed this made sense in their circumstances. What with “destiny” and all that being a key phrase lately. And the Monkie Kid had not only stopped Spider Queen AND the Lady Bone Demon… he was also the successor of Sun Wukong.

No one wanted the ire of Sun Wukong right now. Not when things had only just gone back to normal again.

Or.

They HAD.

Until Lao Tzu heard a voice calling to him in his very empty laboratory. Where no one else should be. At all.

“Hello? Lao Tzu, sir?”

The ancient immortal looked around, certain that he must have been mishearing something as a voice. His lab had been locked down to ensure that he could focus on his work for the day. And yet… it certainly sounded like someone had called his name. And rather close by, at that.

"I'm down here!"

Lao Tzu blinked for a moment before slowly tilting his head downward as he stood to look over the books stacked before him… to behold a little brown spotted rabbit standing among the empty vials on the edge of this desk.

"Uh…"

"We need your help," the rabbit said with a scowl. Or… what passed as a scowl on a small rabbit face. A very animated rabbit face that should not have been speaking. “Jin and Yin said you were our best bet.”

"... oh what in the name of Buddha did the twins do now?"

~

“We didn’t mean to!” Yin protested weakly. “Well, not to him… and not like this…”

“So you meant to,” Lao Tzu repeated with a scowl.

“Well… kinda?” Jin said with an awkward chuckle that trailed off into a soft squeak of fear as the immortal scowled at him. “Look, like Yin said this wasn’t what was SUPPOSED to happen. He wasn’t even the intended target.”

“And who, pray tell, was the intended victim?”

The twins both flinched at Lao Tzu’s question, looking at each other as if they were slowly deflating balloons.

“... the… Monkie Kid?” Jin offered slowly.

“Of course,” Lao Tzu said knowingly as he nodded his head. “Both of you are still as thick headed as you were the day I banished you for unauthorized experiments.”

“And we have learned our lesson!” Yin protested for a moment before deflating again. “No more random experiments! It just… took some time?”

“A few centuries,” Lao Tzu said with a sigh. “I don’t have time to argue semantics with you, and I am certain your friend doesn’t either.”

“I wouldn’t exactly say we’re friends, more like… unfortunate acquaintances.”

That voice was also new, the fourth in this very odd group that had come to see him.

Jin and Yin, the metal brothers who were once his lab assistants that he had so long ago banished from ever returning (lot of good that did him). Pigsy, the contrarian who had just spoken, was a pig demon chef who Lao Tzu swore resembled… someone he was familiar with once. And of course, being held in the chef’s arms…

“I think I have done enough waiting for a lifetime,” the rabbit from before said. “Shouldn’t have waited as long as I did before, now look where I am… but also at this point, since nothing else is going to change, I will wait as long as I need to.”

The small brown bunny, speckled with brown spots of a lighter shade, with more expression in his face than should be possible (and, Lao Tzu could swear, eye bags indicative of sleep deprivation), was Tang. Was being the operative word here.

He knew of this human. Or this rabbit who was once human, as had been explained to him. Everyone in the Celestial Realm knew of Tang Sanzang’s chosen disciple.

But he wasn’t about to spill the beans on that.

Lao Tzu raised a hand, pinching the bridge of his nose as he thought this over. Surely he couldn’t just leave the chosen disciple of THE Tang Sanzang high and dry. He would never hear the end of it, even if it was just the monk coming to him and politely asking him for assistance for the rest of the foreseeable future. But he also had more than a full workload to contend with. 

However…

“Who’s bright idea was this?” He asked.

“We-” “It’s my fault.”

Yin looked at his brother, eyes wide with shock. “Jin, wh-”

“I’m the older brother,” he said. “I should have thought this through, it’s my fault. I’ll take whatever punishment is needed, just… help the bunny guy out, will ya?”

This took the immortal by surprise. He couldn’t deny that. The last time he saw the twins they would constantly blame each other or pick another target to stack the blame on. For Jin to take the blame, even if his brother was at fault or they were equally so…

“Then congratulations,” Lao Tzu announced. “Until we are able to find a counter-curse for your lagomorph friend? You will temporarily be my assistant for the time being.”

“Really!?” Jin asked in surprise and clear relief. “Then we’ll get started right away, Yin and I will-”

“No.”

“... no?” Yin asked after a second of silence from everyone.

“No,” Lao Tzu continued. “Jin will be my assistant. ONLY Jin. If he wants to take responsibility for this? Then he will take ALL of the responsibility for this. First order of business?” He turned around, gesturing to the cluttered table behind him. “You will finish my annotations for me, they’re basic enough that I am sure you remember how to, while I fetch all the necessary materials from my archives. I will be back in a few hours. You had BEST be finished by then so we may get started.”

~

Thump.

“No.”

Thump.

“Tang, you will die.”

THUMP.

“TANG, I’M NOT GIVING YOU A PIECE OF MY CHEESECAKE!” Pigsy yelled with a laugh, holding his plate high above his head so the rabbit in front of him couldn’t try another grab at it.

“But it has STRAWBERRIES in it, I CAN SMELL THEM!” Tang protested, letting out another angry THUMP.

“There’s enough sugar ON the strawberries that I can feel my teeth rotting,” Pigsy said as he popped the last bite into his mouth. The huffing sound Tang made in anger almost made him laugh. Almost. “Besides, I think we can find you something more your taste if we ask around.”

The two of them had remained in the Celestial Realm for the time being, Yin returning home on the insistence of his brother to inform Scorpion Demoness and the others that Tang was at least being helped in some way. Pigsy had brought a snack for each of them, but not realizing how long they would choose to be there it wasn’t quite enough for either of them. So, plan B it was.

Tang clearly did not like plan B, as he thumped again and let out a low growl.

“I know you’re hungry, but I wouldn’t want to give you anything I thought could hurt you,” Pigsy said softly, ducking his head and rubbing his face. “You’ve been through too much this week, I don’t want you going through some kind of… rabbit food poisoning too, Tang.”

As if Tang had only just realized what he was doing he stopped, looking down at his front paws for a moment.

"I'm sorry, Pigsy…"

Pigsy looked up at the sudden apology, leveling Tang with a look of confusion. 

"Tang, it's ok. You’re frustrated! You're still getting used to being a rabbit, once you're back to n-"

"No, not that!" Tang said, thumping his back legs again and groaning. "No, I… I'm sorry you have to help me when I'm like this. If I had just been honest…"

"There's no point in blaming yourself for what you didn't do right now," Pigsy said as he reached over and asked for permission to pick Tang up by holding out his arms. Once Tang slowly hopped over to him, Pigsy picked up his friend into a gentle hug. "We can get through this."

“When you say it so surely I almost believe you.”

“You better, because I wouldn’t say it if it wasn’t the truth,” Pigsy said.

They sat there for a moment, the chef holding his friend as carefully as he could. He reached up, scratching behind Tang’s ears for a moment before stopping himself.

“Sorry!” He said, rubbing the back of his head. “Shouldn’t just. Do stuff like that without asking you.”

“... you can scratch my ears if you want to,” Tang said slowly. “It felt nice.”

So he did.

After a few minutes they made their way to one of the gardens (NOT the Immortality Peach garden, Pigsy made sure of that) and were immediately surrounded by the peach maidens who had taken a break to eat there.

Pigsy was absolutely NOT jealous about how they cooed over the rabbit that was his favorite freeloader and gave him all the fruits and chin scratches he desired.

(He absolutely WAS smug about how it was his arms Tang jumped back into when everything got too overwhelming.)

~

Tang sighed, looking up at the dejected golden demon flipping through the books and scrolls before him.

It had been a day so far, Pigsy returning to the human realm for work on Tang’s own insistence while the rabbit stayed in the Celestial Realm on Lao Tzu’s suggestion (with the promise that they would immediately send for him should anything come about).

Jin clearly was trying to make things better. Make up for what had happened. At first, Tang couldn't be sure if it was because he was being punished with consequences, but the way he and his brother would brush off consequences in the past when MK would delve them out (mostly by just going back to scheming within a weeks time) was different.

The way he was willingly putting himself in front of his brother to accept the blame was different.

Jin… seemed to genuinely realize they messed up.

And Tang was also sure, as a way to punish himself for messing up, Jin had not slept at all. Not if the bags under his eyes were any indication.

“How are you holding up?” Tang chanced asking, noting how the golden demon froze for a split second. “It looks like you’ve gotten a lot done.”

“Hardly,” Jin said with a dry laugh. “Well, yeah, but not when you look at everything I still have to go through. But copying as much relevant information as I can into a new tome for reference is a good start.”

“You’re not as cocky as you normally are,” Tang noted. No use in being uncertain of what he could say here, not right now. 

Jin groaned, leaning back to look at the ceiling.

“Hard to keep up the cocky attitude without my bro here, and after admitting I messed up, AND with Lao Tzu keeping an eye on me, AND not having slept in like two days-”

“JIN,” Tang interrupted in horror. “You need to sleep EVENTUALLY.”

“Since when are we on a first name basis?” Jin asked, but his tone wasn’t put off or mocking. Just curious. He was almost like a different person in these circumstances. “I thought you’d be calling me like… “ey, Gold Asshole” or something.”

“I could,” Tang admitted with a nod. “But I won’t. There’s no point in that when you already clearly feel like shit. Besides… I want to give you a chance. For SD.”

“... we fucked up bad, bunny man,” Jin said after a moment. “We just wanted to mess with the Monkie Kid a bit and now I’m back with my old mentor but without my bro, feeling guilty, and…”

“I can vouch for you,” Tang said. “With Scorpion Demoness. I can’t make her FORGIVE you, can’t even guarantee she’ll ever want to consider being friends again. But with you doing this much to set things right, I can at least tell her you’re trying.”

“Sun Wukong’s going to tell her it’s because he threatened me,” Jin countered.

“He’s not here now,” Tang said with a shrug. “And you’re still working.”

“... you’re a smart guy after all,” Jin admitted without countering this time, stretching before rubbing his eyes and getting back to copying. “I’ll get some sleep soon, but I want to finish this set of old scrolls first. Not sleeping I can deal with, but it’d be easier if I wasn’t so tense. Heh, maybe if I do something for ya I can get a break AND relax a bit. Lao Tzu DID tell me to get you anything you need.”

Tang thought for a moment.

"You could… give me some scritches?"

Jin paused in his writing, slowly looking up and staring at Tang in disbelief.

"Scritches?"

"Yes."

"You want me? The guy who is at least 80% responsible-" "50%, stop that." "-for you being a bunny… to give you scritches?"

"They might make you feel better," Tang said firmly. "I know they make Pigsy feel better. And I like them, so I want them."

"... you're fuckin weird, mate," Jin said in even stronger disbelief. But he still reached across the table to gently scratch Tang behind the ears all the same.

~

“So… I’m stuck like this?”

“I didn’t say that,” Lao Tzu continued. “There’s nothing to suggest we could not develop something that will… at least give you a humanoid form, should we be unable to undo this. You just will most likely never be fully human again. At worst, anything we try will simply fail to take and you will remain as you are for the time being. Quite frankly, it’s a miracle that you are still sentient… but at the same time, that means that whatever my ex-students did was either incomplete or mixed in a way that should be considered an unprecedented scientific and magical achievement.”

“Is that good or bad?” Pigsy asked, picking up on the tone of confusion and awe in the immortal’s words.

“Neither, it means they’re still as reckless as the day I banished them from my lab.”

Tang remained silent for a moment, sat on the table between the immortal and his chef.

“Well then… If I have to be a rabbit demon, I’ll be a rabbit demon,” he said with as much of a smile as he could muster on his rabbit face. “Better to try and fail than never take a chance. Right Pigsy?”

“Right,” Pigsy agreed with a confident nod.

“Good,” Lao Tzu said with a smile. “Then we can try our first trial counter-curse in the morning. We’ll try once a week so your body can recover until we find one that takes. You may very well have a humanoid body again soon.”

Tang wished he remembered rabbits were fragile at that exact moment, because in excitement he jumped right off the desk.

He didn’t have anything to worry about, though. Not with Pigsy there to catch him.

“What am I going to do with you?” Pigsy muttered with no malice in his tone as he reached up to scratch Tang behind the ears again. 

He waited for Tang to nod, rubbing his hoof like claws through his fur carefully.

A purr (or at least that rabbit teeth grinding that counted as a purr) could not be held back in response from Tang. He knew he was in good hands, figuratively and literally.

And he would not wait a second longer to act on his feelings once he was no longer in this rabbit body.

[blackchrysalys]

Living Samadhi AU

The samadhi fire was alive but unfortunately heaven was oblivious about it and it had only one purpose: to spread and burn.

When wukong was in the furnace he only had the samadhi fire for company

though at first it tried to burn him to crisp, it later saw an opportunity; an opportunity to burn heaven with the perfect one to execute it.

at first wukong thought he was going insane, hearing whispers ranging from 'you couldn't protect your people' to 'its all heaven's fault'

though a few days (he thinks, time's hard to tell here) later he finds out that the fire is apparently conscious and wants to help him. That he wasn't going to die.That they could both be friends sharing a common goal: To burn heaven down

Hey the fire even agreed, that maybe he should return the favour. They deserved it after all. Especially the jade emperor.

The Jade emperor didn't deserve his throne, monkey king was way better than him after all.

The fire even gave him a gift, fiery eyes to see through lies and illusions ensuring he'd never be tricked again.

When wukong got trapped he did wonder what happened to his 'friend'.

When wukong became a monk he'd never thought he'd see the fire again

Yet here it was, controlling wielded by his nephew, ready to traumatise him again(hey he never said his friend was pleasant).

He really didn't want to face it again. It looked even scarier than before. Please don't make him go against it. But that would mean leaving the tang monk in their clutches. Besides the great sun wukong can't die, right?

Thankfully Bodhisattva guanyin came to the rescue. Hopefully he'd never have to face that ever again(the samadhi fire did not like him anymore).

Why was it everywhere?! First the boy and now an entire mountain range(now he knows how red son met got the fire). How the heck did it even manage to get here. Yeah he kicked the furnace but seriously?! Thankfully the fan from princess iron fan worked and he didn't have to jump in again.

Though this fire felt...empty. A husk of what it once was. It seemed the spirit had already moved on.

He tried to warn people about it but everyone called him delusional. No one believed it could be alive but they did believe it was dangerous once the demon bull king asked for help.

It was exhausting to seal the fire, but hey nothing the monkey king can't do. Just had to hold on a bit longer...and ignore the whispers he heard from them(please shut up). No else heard the whispers

He only meant to lighten the mood (and distract himself from the whispers). Why did it have to go after his master? Why did it have to be sealed in his companion Ao lie? Thankfully dragons had an affinity for fire so it didn't seem to bother him much (plus it was just a small part).

Hopefully that was the end of it. It wasn't.

[lockedtombmemes]

Favorite Griddlehark fics?

Oh my friend, how much time do you have?

Many recommendations under the cut!

Behind the Locked Door by UnseelieWench

Cyberpunk college AU, where Harrow is a tech master rather than a necro. Rated T+. Complete.

Fifth House Farm by beyondtheskyline

Harrow is sent to a farm as part of her juvie detention rehab. The Tridentarii are there. Gideon fixes a car. Rated M. In progress.

Kill The Dream by ghostdriive

Divine Daughter AU. Rated T+. In progress.

Navegesimus by zoicite

Harrow Nova AU by one of my favorite authors. Rated M. In progress.

The Mystery of You by influorescence

High school AU. Rated T+. Complete.

Visions of Gideon by tothewillofthepeople

College AU ft. oh my god they were roommates. Rated T+. Complete.

Orchids in Ink by Moonblastbitch

A whole-ass series based on that one post where somebody got a tattoo and realized they had a praise kink when the artist said, "Good girl." Harrow's the tattoo artist. Ratings vary by entry.

Let’s Make The Most of this Beautiful Day (Since We’re Together We Might As Well) by broken_hands & jpnadia

Neighbors AU, featuring both Griddlehark and Camcor, in just about every combination you can imagine. Known as the 4GFs AU. Rated E. Complete.

so quite a new thing by liveonthesun

One of my all-time favorites. Cottagecore ft. smut and softness and I've read it so many times, y'all don't even know, it's so good and gives me such warm fuzzies. Rated E. Complete.

i don’t know if i could ever go on without by liveonthesun

Post-pool scene, wonderfully in-character, kissin' and more. Rated E. Complete.

I’ll hold in these hands all that remains by corvidlesbian

Set nebulously post-canon, snuggly and sexy. Rated E. Complete.

On the Riverbank by Elldritch

Body-sharing, plot, smut, all by Elldritch. Rated E. Complete.

The Process of Elimination by zoicite

Her Divine Highness AU, Bachelorette style, ft. fake relationship. Rated E. In progress.

The River Flows by OwlChief6

Time travel is gonna fix everybody's problems. Rated M. In progress.

The Tournament by Son of Jade

Who doesn't love a medieval AU? This is a medieval AU. Rated M. In progress.

What Good Permitting Some Prophet of Doom by jpnadia

A burlesque AU ft. hate-fucking. Obviously it turns into love-fucking (spoilers), but you knew that was coming. Rated E. Complete.

Beheld and Beloved by Moonblastbitch

*pounds table* PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AU PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AU PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AU. Rated E. In progress.

Dead Reckoning by SecretEvening

Canon continuation that could EASILY be actual canon. Everything here is spot-on in tone and content, and if things went like this I wouldn't be mad. Rated E. Complete.

Sky Full of Song by lemonpretzel

College AU ft. music major Harrow, fake dating, and a secret society with a sketchy past. Rated M. Complete.

The Furnace of You by Cypseloides

Canon continuation ft. Camilla Hect babysitting these fucking useless lesbians. Rated M. Complete.

you live in the dark, love, i cannot pretend by saltwaterconfessions

Each chapter is a different AU floating around in Harrow's rotten little mind. Rated M. In progress.

Inversion by BonesforTime

My latest obsession. This fic made me CRAZY, I can't stress enough all the things it made me feel. I'm legit going to have a hard time remembering that this isn't canon, when reading Nona and Alecto. Devastating and sexy. Rated E. Complete.

[talesofsonicasura]

Clowning Around AU

We'll be going over the AU behind this very picture on my other blog today. Just like with Wrathful Idol, MK will have a different identity to separate from his normal life AND will be on the Heaven's wanted list. Different reason for the last one.

Thanks to screwing with hell's reality too much in Madness Combat Expurgatation, Tricky the Clown is booted from his universe. Where did he end up? In the Lego Monkie Kid universe, with his trusty emergency sign and portable Improbability Drive. For anyone who doesn't know much about Madness Combat, the Improbability Drive is a device that could bend the rules of reality itself.

Not something you want in the hands of a homicidal clown and not something the Heavens want running around. Tricky is often referred to as an 'error' in the universe, an issue that is brought straight to the Jade Emperor. The ruler of the Heavens had gotten a boat load of complaints about this zombie clown bending reality.

Not wanting to deal with another Sun Wukong incident, a clown hunt begins as the objective is to either capture or kill Tricky. A task that's harder than it looks since no one knows how to combat the source of the zombie assassin's power which is the Improbability Drive. It only gets worse when they decide to melt Tricky in the Eight Trigram Furnace, the same furnace used against Sun Wukong.

Not only did the clown go to the safer part of the furnace but the Improbability Drive end up being fused completely to him. In short, the Heavens had accidentally made Tricky even more difficult to handle. Instead of calling upon Buddha to handle the zombie clown, like what had been done to Sun Wukong, the Jade Emperor decided to have Tricky sealed inside a medicine pill.

Original plan was to transport this pill into the Underworld until they figured out how to truly get rid of Tricky. A few shortcuts were set up in the backroom of different stores throughout Megaphone for better access. Trouble strikes when the courier slips on a pill bottle, sending the container holding Tricky's pill airborne alongside taking out similar looking medicine bottles.

A caretaker for a children's hospital helps the courier pick up the bottles and be on their way. There's just one problem, the caretaker had taken the container holding Tricky. And the person they're caring for is a sick MK.

MK in this universe was born with a very poor immune system and fragile organs. A miracle that he made it to 7 years old despite battling an awful fever at the moment. Young Qi Xiaotian ends up taking the prison pill and is greeted to Tricky's spirit.

This is the first time the zombie clown has seen a child in a very long time. Even if he is an insane maniac, Tricky doesn't kill kids. Man got standards after all. So, the zombie clown decides to become MK's personal guardian and use the powers of the Improbability Drive to erase his host's illness.

From there, the two explore what they are now capable of. One such ability is to merge into a single entity they call Jester. (I will be drawing Jester btw.) With this, MK leaves the children's hospital and lives on his own. At the moment, Tricky cannot physically manifest into the world unless he possesses MK.

Upon agreement, the clown will only possess MK if the young man is badly injured whether physically/mentally/spiritually or another entity is trying to possess him. Tricky can be quite volatile when someone tries to mess with what's his. He calls MK 'Little Clown' and they have a decently healthy father-son relationship.

It doesn't take long for MK's Jester persona to soon become infamous earning the epithet: Hell Monkie. Something that will lead to this young man having his hands stained with blood at the ripe age of 9. Only a matter of time before multiple factions set their sights on him than just the Heavens.

I'll be going over Jester alongside more of the potential plot to this AU on a different page as this is already getting a bit long for a basis.

Until next time folks, continue to thrive in the madness and I'll see you back at Megapolis.

Jester

Excerpts: 1

[akystaracer22]

Here’s Tang from Jade Furnace! Featuring some little golden cicada’s that make up only the tiniest fraction of the brood. Tang is a little more serious and violence prone than his canon counterpart, though it is very, very rare that he’ll actually go through with any threats. He’s also multilingual! Fluent in English as well as both modern and ancient Chinese.

There’s a lot more to him that you’ll all see as the story progresses, and more ref’s will come out as I figure out how to draw each character.

[quitealotofsodapop]

[Fun fact; there's a Goddess of Eyesight in chinese mythology - Yanguang Niangniang. She's one of the Jade Emperor's daughters. Just one of his kids who decided to become a doctor/healer. I headcanon that she looks like an average mortal optometrist.]

[Tang, realising: "...I'll give you the number of my optemertrist." SWK: "Is that some kinda wizard?"]

I think I know who Tangs optemetrist is...

SWK: What are you doing here?

Yanguang: Because I got bills to pay and am not accepting hand outs from my parents. You want the glasses or not?

Reference posts with the Goddess of Eyesight + Au SWK realising he needs glasses.

Megapolis has such a large demon and former-celestial population that it necessitates the need for actual gods in the healthcare system.

Yanguang works in a practice that includes her co-workers; Zhao Yunxiao, Bixiao, and Qiongxiao (sister goddesses of maternity, pedatrics, and disease prevention) - imported from Investiture of the Gods.

Yanguang lost faith in the Jade Court after her eldest sister past away. Since they were both diciples of the goddess of Mount Tai: Bixia Yuangjun (primordial goddess of birth, destiny, and the deparated), Yanguang was able to cut contact with heaven to work on earth.

She looks eerily normal to anyone able to detect her divine nature. Like Wukong in the TMKATI au, who gets reccomended to her by Tang to get his eyes checked out. Before SWK could comment on a celestial princess working as a mortal doctor, Yanguang tiredly diagnosed him as having untreated corneal flash burns/welder's eye/eye sunburn from the furnace. She prescribed him a pair of enchanted glasses and (regular) eyedrops to help him see better. Wukong left the medical practice very confused but grateful.

Yanguang has pretty much cut all contact with her family, save for Iron Fan. See when baby Red Son's primordial fire powers activated, he accidentally gave himself Welder's Eye from the flames. Yanguang was the one to prescribe him his little pince nez glasses. Her and Iron Fan are shockingly chill with one another.

[radiance1]

Calamity au Part 1

So an au Where Sun Wukong is one of the Four Great Calamities that roamed the mortal realm.

So Wukong does have control over fire. So I just took that, and made him this I guess.

So when Wukong was burning in the Heavenly Furnace, he noticed that one of his innate abilities(the ability to control fire) was being refined and getting stronger as a result from the Heavenly Furnace’s flames. So –while making sure that he was safe– focused on that ability to further refine it with his added help. Although it was admittedly harder than he thought since he was quite literally burning alive at the time so his concentration was messed up a few times.

So when the time came when Heaven opened the furnace, he used his newfound refined flames to wreak havoc on Heaven. Burning almost quite literally everything to the ground and killing a lot of immortals with his flames. So when the Jade Emperor sent for Buddha, instead of taking his bet Wukong had enough shit, put aside his ego(wounding it and his pride in the process) and just left.

So with wounded pride and feeling extremely defeated(despite almost destroying Heaven). He expected to return to his home and be with his subjects and honestly. Just Relax. But instead of that overwhelming relief at being home and with his subjects, he instead returned to find it burned to the ground(Ironic ain’t it?) and with all his subjects dead. He proceeded to let go and raged.

Everything around him burned, mountains, lakes, trees, but throughout all this, his flames never once touched the charred remains of his home. He’s just in true despair at the unfairness of it all. Every single thing he did was unfairly punished and now his family, mortal monkeys and demon monkeys that did nothing wrong were killed and burned for no reason.

So after he calms down enough(I.e where he isn’t burning everything in sight), he decides that, since he has suffered unjustly for most of his life, and that the mortals and demons haven’t experienced even a fraction of his suffering and has the gall to kill his family and burn his home down to the ground. 

He takes some of his blood, a fair bit of his magic and his control over his flames to make a false sun. With a heat so strong that most is not all mortal things burn under its heat. Although he did make it specifically not able to kill anything immediately, just to make their life harder. So a lot of demons and humans/mortals still survive.

Forest’s start burning, lakes on the surface start drying up, mountain tops start melting and the snow atop them either evaporates or causes a flood. Stone turns to lava, sand either turns to glass or becomes so hot that almost no civilization can be made in the desert. Although some spiritual lakes and forests survive and become a habitual area –if barely and it’s not some extremely dangerous place– letting at least some civilization thrive.

So a lot of demons and immortals come together and use their powers to protect mortal folk and salvage what’s left of the land to make their home.

So even with all the rage that Wukong feels against the world, he knows that not everyone is at fault and lets up on and only on, his friends. Then Sun Wukong spends his days killing every demon and immortal –or the occasional mortal– that dares to come up the remains of his home in hope to get the crimson sun to go down. Although Sun Wukong himself doesn't leave the mountain to go down and kill things, a lot of people still die. Since crops would refuse to grow on the surface and, with no water, most people would die of thirst. There’s also the fact that multiple mountain spirits have their home become almost inhabitable..

Even though no one actually saw Wukong make the Crimson Sun. People put the pieces together. A few mortals went over to Flower Fruit mountain a few years ago and burned it down, then a few years later a great fire flared to life in the area of that same mountain, then a few days later the Crimson Sun appeared. As soon as it appeared it seemed to have ‘devoured’ the night, painting the sky into an ever present blood red. Which in turn earned Sun Wukong his newest title ‘Night Devouring Crimson Sun’

So multiple people complained to the Jade Emperor and pleaded for him to send someone to deal with The Great Sage Equal to Heaven, but since he is y’know ‘The Great Sage Equal to Heaven’ he couldn’t really do anything about it. Hell the Crimson Sun was so strong that it was even affecting Heaven and Hell –admittedly Hell faring better than Heaven– so when the Jade Emperor finished rebuilding Heaven back into workable order. He pleaded for Buddha to do something about Sun Wukong and his Crimson sun. Buddha agreed and so went down to the mortal realm to confront Sun Wukong.

Although he wanted to converse with Sun Wukong to make him take down the sun. Sun Wukong’s rage and hatred burned bright and then Buddha knew he wouldn’t see reason. So they fought, Sun Wukong lost. But instead of sealing him under a mountain, he thought it would be some sort of poetic justice to make Sun Wukong feel what he forced onto others(even though he has experienced being burned alive). So Buddha flew out from the mortal realm while suppressing Sun Wukong’s power. Passing by the moon and multiple stars on his way to the Sun, when he arrived he suppressed Sun Wukong’s control over fire to basically non-existence, summoning multiple talismans to suppress Sun Wukong’s power and chains to hold him down. When he was finally done, he took one last look at Sun Wukong. Watching him be consumed by his infinite rage and hatred against the 3 realms and then with –surprising gentleness– he placed Sun Wukong into the sun, he then turned, and not once looking back, left The Great Sage Equal to Heaven to his eternal prison of flames.

[robininthelabyrinth]

3Gate questions will not leave me alone so imma ask. What would WRH have even DONE if he'd succeeded in any of his attempted assaults of NMJ, pre-Sunshot? Would he have honestly let NMJ go after in order to wait for him to "ripen"? (That wording creeped me out so bad, so good job there!) Or would there have been a war for him kidnapping the son of a Sect Leader bc he just couldn't wait? Is there any difference in the quality of the cultivation boost with a willing vs unwilling furnace? Is it possible at all for a furnace to have sex without dual cultivation occurring? What would happen if he had sex with a non-cultivator?

There are SO MANY possible dark AU versions of Three Gates. There’s a world where WRH succeeded and became addicted to the power boost, stealing NMJ away at once and starting a war no one was ready for. There’s a world where NMJ is missing, presumed dead, and no one finds out where he’s gone until years later when it’s too late. There’s a world where he succeeded but maintained his restraint, leaving NMJ still in Qinghe but with nightmares and trauma and a terrible secret he had to keep from everyone even as WRH mocks him with it with hints in public. There’s a world where WRH uses his political power to demand a marriage, and claims NMJ as his own in a legal way, a way that means NMJ can’t say no - and there’s a world where he makes that demand to Lao Nie and a world where he makes it to NMJ himself, a world where Qinghe is too weak to resist such an offer. There’s a world where NMJ is convinced that it’s the right thing to do no matter how much older or cruel WRH seems to be, a world where he’s brought up thinking that WRH’s behavior is normal, a world where he decides he doesn’t care and hates the idea anyway. 

There’s a world where NMJ gets rescued, whether by his father or his sect or his friends, and they take care of him as he heals; there’s a world where NMJ rescues himself - a world where he escapes back to Qinghe, a world where he runs away to hide himself as a rogue cultivator, a world in which he waits until after he’s married WRH to kill him and his kin and claims all of Qishan Wen in the name of Qinghe Nie. There’s a world where he kills them all and then himself and the only thing left behind is a power vacuum. 

There’s a world where NMJ being a furnace becomes known and suddenly he goes from seventh most appealing male cultivator to first, because wanting power isn’t solely limited to men; a world where there are dozens of applications to marry him, each more tempting than the next with the prizes he could win for Qinghe.  There’s a world where he has to be on his guard against anyone who tries to be his friend because yes, there’s a difference between willing and unwilling, with willing being a better boost, and that means the furnace needs to be on the lookout for people who will put in the time and effort to woo them so that they’ll be willing until they’ve gotten all the use they can out of them before casting them aside - although having  truly interested partners on both sides, actual dao companions who love each other, is best and most effective of all. There’s a world where NMJ rendered jaded and cynical by this, a world where he’s deceived by someone he trusted, a world where it all works out somehow by sheer dumb luck. 

(There’s a world where sleeping with a furnace can help even crippled core-less cultivators regain what they’ve lost, and it only becomes a question of how far those cultivators’ loved ones would go to help them, even at the cost of sacrificing someone else.)

There’s a world where JGY is less kind than he had the chance to be, where his mother’s paranoia sunk too deep into his bones to be extracted and everything he pretended to be to win WRH’s favor he actually is. There’s a world where he facilitated rather than stopped - a world where his goal really was to get NMJ out of the way and rule his own sect through the façade of NHS, a world where NHS lets him and a world where NHS loves his half brother more than his full brother and doesn’t. A world where JGY figures out the furnace thing and thinks about ruling through NMJ instead. A world where NHS figures it out, and who even knows what he does with that knowledge from there on out. There’s a world where JGS wasn’t so fucking stupid and figured out early on that for the small, small price of a name and some pretension at respect he could win a too-young-to-know-better JGY over to his side, whether to set up a marriage with the heir of Qinghe Nie or to use as a spy for his own purposes or even just to bring him home and rub his poaching in the Nie’s face - he likes me better than you, just like a toddler. A world where JGY agrees to that and then regrets it; a world where he doesn’t. 

So many worlds! I could go on and on forever :) there’s a reason I write so many fics that basically go “and this is the start of a 100k story that I just don’t have time to write!”

If anyone ever wants to pick up one of the above ideas - whether as a Three Gates AU or just a divergence from canon - please feel free, just be sure to link me (via DM or ask, for some reason I never get notified when people just @ me) so that I can enjoy reading them as well. :)

[anxiescape]

Celestial Bodies AU: A Battle Between Two Monkeys

*contains major spoilers for Celestial Bodies*

(Also, warning, this is a bit of a long read.)

EDIT: Forgot to mention that I wrote this out to answer a question for @mage-of-words, so I hope this answers it! (The tag isn’t working and I don’t know why 😭)

So, do you guys remember how in JTTW, Wukong and Macaque had that huge fight during the journey, which ended in Macaque’s death? Of course you do.

But did you know that that same battle happens in Celestial Bodies? And that it still results in Macaque’s death?

“But why?” I can hear you asking in despair. “They’re so sweet with each other. They love each other. Wukong legiterally takes on the Jade Emperor for him! Why would they fight? And why would Wukong kill Macaque?”

Well, let’s start at the... not the beginning, per se, but at a significant point in the story, shortly before Wukong was thrown into the Trigram Furnace.

During a talk between Wukong and the Jade Emperor, the Emperor claims that Macaque betrayed Wukong, and told the Celestial Realm all about Wukong’s plans and such during the battle. This isn’t true (the Jade Emperor be bluffin’ here), and Wukong doesn’t want to believe him, but... how else could he have lost?

(Because you’re an overconfident, cocky idiot, Wukong. That’s how you lost. But anyway.)

During his 49 days in the furnace, and his 500 years under the Five-Phases Mountain, Wukong has a long time to think about things. About Macaque, and their relationship, but one thing that keeps coming to his mind is what the Jade Emperor told him about Macaque’s supposed betrayal. This continues to be on his mind, even during the journey.

Now, let’s swap to Macaque’s POV. He has been in a magic-induced sleep since his capture by the Celestial Realm. Pretty fun, right?

Well, the Jade Emperor and Lao Tzu have been at work. Obviously, Macaque was pretty darn useful to them, what with his super-hearing and natural intelligence and all. He was a pretty good fighter, too. Obviously, they want him back. But they’re not going to risk waking him, because then that gives him the chance to escape.

So Lao Tzu has been at work. He has been experimenting—making clones of our celestial moon monkey boi. It took at least a couple hundred years before he succeeded in making one that was actually stable and could survive outside of his laboratory, but he isn’t able to make a spirit to put into them—to give them life.

Now this gets into, like, sci-fi territory, just a little bit. Do y’all know that one episode of Doctor Who, where Amy Pond was replaced by a flesh duplicate? (Uhh... Doctor Who spoilers, by the way. 👀) She was piloting the duplicate from a weird tube/containment pod thing that she was trapped in, and she never even knew that it wasn’t her real body, or that anything was amiss, until she was released from the connection with it.

A very similar thing happens here with Macaque. Using some pretty intense magic seals and spells, Macaque’s mind is connected to the first proper clone. From there, Lao Tzu tries to brainwash him, for lack of a better term. And the “good” thing about these clones is that they are significantly weaker than a celestial monkey. So anytime Macaque tries to break free and escape in one of the clones, he is restrained, and the connection is broken until they are ready to try again. If they fail to restrain the clone and he flees, it is destroyed.

This continues for many, many years—decades, if not centuries—until Macaque’s brain is so messed up that he stops trying to run. Then the real brainwashing can begin. They tell Macaque that Sun Wukong has been captured, and is being held captive by a group of demons and their human master. They tell Macaque that they will allow him to go after Wukong, and if he can free him, then the two monkeys can go live happily ever after—they don’t care about the war anymore.

Obviously, this sounds too good to be true. But Macaque is desperate at this point, and his brain is really confused with all sorts of “false memories” that are left over from the previous “de-comissioned” clones. This poor monkey has suffered through quite a bit of gaslighting, as well. So he eagerly agrees to this plan, and is sent off in search of the scripture pilgrims.

“Woah, woah, wait,” you’re probably thinking. “Why would the Celestial Realm send Macaque after the pilgrims? Don’t they want the scriptures retrieved and all that? Aren’t they on Tripitaka’s side? Kinda?”

Well, yes. But as mentioned before, the Macaque clones are weaker than actual celestial monkeys. They are much easier to kill. So, Lao Tzu and the Jade Emperor’s plan is for Macaque’s clone and Wukong to fight, and for Wukong to kill the clone. Then Wukong will think that Macaque is dead, and he won’t bother to look for him anymore anyway, because obviously he would hate Macaque for attacking his pilgrim brothers, right? And then they can leave Macaque’s sleeping form to rot in its prison cell, forgotten, never to wake and cause trouble for them ever again.

Well, not exactly. Wukong fights the clone, and kills it out of a mixture of rage, exhaustion, and many other overwhelming feelings, and he is distraught. He can’t believe what he has done to the one that he truly loved. And he breaks down.

But luckily, the Buddha is here, and he’s pretty frickin’ cool. He could tell immediately that the clone was not the actual Six-Eared Macaque, and he lets Wukong know this. Mr. All-Knowing here lets Wukong know that Macaque is still in the Celestial Realm, being kept captive under powerful spells and hidden away in Lao Tzu’s tower. This sounds too good to be true, but Wukong is willing to believe it—it’s better than believing that he killed Macaque.

So the journey continues, and eventually comes to an end. And now it’s time for a monkey rescue. Wukong and his awesome pilgrim brothers head back to the Celestial Realm to get Macaque back, and I’m not gonna spoil any of that fun 😈, but it does result in Wukong rescuing Macaque and waking him from his so-called “eternal slumber.”

This is the first time Macaque has “woken up” since his “death” by Wukong’s hands, and the first time he has actually woken up since he was placed under the sleep spell. Macaque tells Wukong about this awful dream that he had where they fought, and Wukong killed him. Wukong is silent.

Macaque’s voice shook as he looked Wukong in the eyes, and fearfully whispered: “It... it wasn’t a dream. Was it?”

Yeah, these monkeys have a lot that they need to work through. But that’s okay. Now they have each other, and all the time in the world to work things out. Together.

The end. 💕

~~~~

Sorry for that info-dump, but I hope you guys enjoy it anyway! Let me know what you think!

Also, you guys can thank Amalgamorph for this wonderful clone-Macaque idea, because I was originally just going to have Macaque straight up die. It was going to be really sad. 😭

[kpopisthereasonihavenolife]

Blight | II

BTS

Jeon Jungkook/Reader [F]

Genre: Dragon/Shapeshifter AU, Magic AU, Enemies to Lovers

Words: 7k

@tamedandscripted @syubcandy @cencoroil @kathrynwynterbourne @fireflower90 @bluegreenguppyfish @queen-pharaoh-hatshepsut @mygukandonly

Jungkook wasn’t sure how long he’ been here. Resting alone in silence in his secret place.  It wasn’t like some sort of fort of anything, no.  Where he was was a beautiful section of flourishing forest.

It was a hidden area, a secluded patch of land.  One had to find a cavern entrance that hid behind thick hydrangea bushes to even begin to search for it.  Even then, finding the hydrangeas was a feat.  The cavern was hundreds of miles underground.  It was secluded and any possibility of it ever being discovered by anyone other than Jungkook was a rare chance. Man would never set foot here so help him.

A far off, desolate cliff in the middle of a mountain range untouched by man.  A rare feat.  A long flight up to the near peak of a mountain.  Find the large, wide hydrangea covered rock area and with them behind the vines is an opening.

Going through that opening and traveling through the rocky, vine-covered cavern walls the cavern opens. A giant hole, leading straight down into God knows where.  No human would ever try and explore, and if they did, they would for sure lose their life.  It was far too deep and far too dark. However, if one ever got down the entire trip that traveled the entire mountain and below the ground, they would come into a clearing. A clearing leading into a vast, almost completely different world.  

Enchanting was the only word to explain it.  A magical place, a lake an entire ecosystem were thriving inside this mountain.  Hydrangeas sprouting in mass with all sorts of wildflowers growing by its side.  Trees wept with green, low hanging branches and vines. Water flowed in a strong, brilliant waterfall in the side the of the rocky cavern, most likely from a lake or body of water on the surface. A crystal lake sits beneath, capturing the mirror-like water.  This lake had healing properties Jungkook had discovered in one of his many trips here.  Just standing in the water could heal any injury.  Finally, floating orbs of soft, yellow and blue lights kept the ‘jungle’ lit and navigatable.

This place must have been crafted long ago by magicians: witches and warlocks.  There was no other way to explain the flourish so far beneath the ground.  As well as the inscriptions on some cavern walls and glyphs that so depict an ancient civilization with ‘God’s Gifted Ones’.  

The other piece of evidence was a large rock island in the middle of the lake.  It was jagged and uneven but it had arches of rock and covered in vines that bloomed in deep, crimson flowers he couldn’t name. The arches were incomplete, the very tops of them open and staggered like a ray of magic just shot through them. Underneath the open arches was a single throne of rock.  Uncomfortable looking though it may be, the carving among it makes it seem like a seat for royalty. He’s never sat there, and something in his blood demands that he never does.

This place was the only thing Spellcasters had his respect for.

Jungkook sat in a small space he liked to call his own as he looked around.  He wasn’t the only living thing down here, no not at all.  There were small creatures and animals that resided down here in harmony.  Almost all herbivores he’s gathered as the only remains he’s ever found were caused by nature and time; not by some sort of predator.

He lay on his back, his hands clasped behind his head and one of his legs propped up on his foot as he looked up at the trees above him.  The weeping willow blew in the small constant draft that seemed to circle endlessly around the cavern.  It gave a nice, gentle chill.  For a hot-blooded, fire breathing, mobile furnace, the breeze cooled him and made him relax.  

If he closed his eyes long enough, he would think he heard bells in the distance, but knew it was only his mind adding onto the soft atmosphere this place gave him.  

Here, he was free.  He was a free man.  Not roped into classes and exams to ‘hone his abilities’.  He wasn’t stuck in the same boring lecture cycle of Masters and how he would need to valiantly and obediently follow his one day. He wasn’t just some jock who needed to keep his team strong and never lose, lest he gets ridiculed.  

He was just himself.  He was just Jungkook.  

Jungkook had never found a place so calming once he left home.  At home, it was his mother that warmed his breast and made him smile.  She loved him so, but once she lost her life, the candle she kept within her was snuffed out.  Taking all the light and warmth with it. Jungkook was lost for a time.  His mother gone, his father always a way for business and no siblings to try and connect with.  

Then he met Jimin.  Jimin ran into him when accidentally running into one of his living room glass doors that lead out into his yard.  He had been so distracted in chasing a shadow cat that he ran smack dab into the glass in his dog form.  Jungkook, startled into showing his horns and scales, watched as the dog changed into the form of a small boy not much older than himself.  

Somehow, after that, a friendship bloomed and Jungkook almost felt warm again. He and Jimin stuck together and eventually were both able to get into the main academy of Hearst.  However, they didn’t plan on being Ranked the same and pinned as classmates both in their first year and now, yet it was a minor chance of luck that Jungkook wouldn’t refuse.  

Yet, even with Jimin, the warmth wasn’t the same as it used to be like as his time as a small child.  So, he would explore every chance he got.  Transforming and flying miles upon miles away just to find something, anything to help the void in his chest.  The hole in which his mother’s death forged so long ago. Then, he found it in this place.  

He couldn’t remember exactly when or how he found this wonderful world of his own, but he didn’t care.  He found it, and it was his and he couldn’t be warmer.  

Somewhere along his visit, he drifted off.  He didn’t know when but when he woke up, his arms that stayed under his head were nearly numb.  He sat up and let the tingling pins and needles of his blood rush back into his arms and hands.  He sat looking around.  He could never tell the time of day in this place, that’s a given.  Yet, he decided it time to go once again.  

Working his way out from under trees and into a clearing he lept into the air and took off upwards with his wings that tore from his back.  Up the long drop that seemed to get shorter with each visit and out the cavern into the hydrangeas before soring into the sky of outside.  It was dusk.  The sun setting with each ticking moment below the horizon, kissing the daytime farewell until morning.   It was a beautiful view, yet a view that no longer captured Jungkook’s jaded perception.

He moved above the clouds until his nose picked up the scent of the school ground and soon descended onto the rooftop of the main building.  It was always much easier making a landing on the roofs than into the fields or courts.  Less chance of conflict.  

His feet touched the hard roof and breathed a content breath.  He made his way down and into his building where he went to his locker to retrieve the shirt he discarded and replaced it on his chest. Now fully dressed, he was lucky not to be caught and stopped by some random person who would definitely scream about some ‘nudist’ on campus.  It’s happened before and it was not fun.

He was finishing up grabbing whatever he needed for tomorrow’s academic courses when he heard a group of B Ranks who had just come from the upper floors, ready to leave for the day.  Jungkook ignored them as they soon passed and Jungkook slammed his locker shut.  They were talking about the Spellcaster Exams happening tomorrow.  They were to perform trail tests and magical limits to see if they were qualified for a Familiar.  

“Fuckin’ Spellcasters,” he murmured as he too left the building and soon the campus to his own dorm.  

XXX

The dorms were not laid out in any sort of system like the school itself.  Many students of different species and ranks lived among each other as neighbors or even roommates.  Had it not been for Yoongi needing a roommate and purposely waiting for you to enroll, you would’ve probably roomed with a Spirit, given a choice.

Currently, you were sat on the floor, nursing a bag of your newly owned chips - that Yoongi got as promised - completely drowning in worry.  The exams were tomorrow, just hours away and you swore you could tear your hair out.  You stared at the ceiling as your head was kicked back while your back rested against the foot of your shared couch with Yoongi in the main room.  

Said warlock had just leaned over the couch, catching your attention and making you crane your neck further back to an uncomfortable position and also drawing a headache to the surface.  

“You really shouldn’t worry.  It’s not that difficult of an exam and it’s held twice a year. You have way more than one shot going forward.”

“Easy for you to say, you’ve already passed.  You just don’t attend the ceremony to actually get a Familiar.”  

“Well, yeah.  Why would I do that when I can pick my own partner on my own terms?”  

You groaned and rolled your eyes.  “Yes, I get it.  You’re super advanced, rub it in why don’t you.”

Yoongi just shook his head at your pessimistic attitude.  Honestly, if he told the truth, he knew you had nothing to worry about.  You had magic storing down to a T and your ability to maintain and manage your magic was outstanding for a C Rank.  It was whether or not your execution of said magic would go as planned.  You, one might say, were a nervous test taker.

Yoongi rounded the couch, sitting on the cousin behind your head as you had taken to pushing your cheek against his knee.  He hovered his fingers above your head as the magic that gently came from them made your hair dance like static.  You were always emotional around exams or ceremonies, but he supposed in your situation that you had every right to be.

“Would you feel better if I waited outside the exam hall? Results won’t be posted until the next morning. We can go to that lame, gross ‘asethetic’ diner you like so much.” You rolled your eyes as you contemplated actually biting his knee.  

“That ‘lame, gross ‘asethetic’ diner’ makes me warm and fuzzy so shush your mouth you Dark Wizard.”  He tapped on your head, a bit reprimanded.  You strictly knew wizards were half-breeds between humans and magic users, a rare breed to be sure.  “Besides, when exams are over, we still have academic courses.”  Yoongi rolled his eyes.  

“Yeah, but they aren’t mandatory.”  

“I’m not ditching class, Yoongi.”  He sighed as you and he got quiet.  Sitting in silence he knew the reason you were worried.  He just didn’t know how to phrase it without making your mood any worse.  Though, it wouldn’t hurt, would it?  It was already floating around in your head, drilling into every corner of your thoughts like a nonstop drill with rechargeable batteries.

“Y/n,” he started, voice uncertain, “are you worried about your dad again?”  You were silent, still and unresponsive.  Perhaps you fell asleep?  You’ve don’t so before.  However, you soon nodded.  “Don’t worry about it,” he thought that might be the case.  

Your father wasn’t the most generous man on the face of the planet.  A big name for himself in your family history and hardly any people even knew he even had a daughter. 

Growing up he was earning awards and making headlines left and right and featured in reports and newspapers frequently.  Succeeding in classes of all kinds, magical or not and gaining his Familiar in his first year right off the bat when he entered and enrolled in Heart Academy for the Wicked and Supernatural.

That Familiar ended up being your mother.

Your mother lost her life when you were born.  It was normal, well as normal as being born a Spellcaster can be.  

Spellcasters almost always end up stealing the life of their mothers upon birth.  The magic gathered and stored into their small, infant bodies only obtained their powers from their mother’s life. They took the life energy from their carriers and converted it into magic to store and released that magic when they are born.  The only way to slimly avoid death is by C-sections, but it’s risky.  There’s always a chance that both parties would lose their life if the doctor is too unskilled.  

Once a Spellcaster, witch or warlock or even half-breed wizard, is born the father is either pulled in one direction of the other.  They are either completely overprotective and shelter their children until they can’t possibly shelter them any longer.  Or, they reject them absolutely.  

Your father rejected you. Absolutely. 

Yoongi has known you since childhood, and he’s seen the way in which your father completely overlooks you and your presence as a whole.  It wasn’t unnatural to guess your father grew up into a wealthy man, so the house was filled with staff that was directly in charge of raising you.  You were raised by interchangeable faces and fake gestures all because you were ‘the bosses daughter’.  The only plus was Yoongi’s companionship and friendship.  

His father was loving to him.  Waiting on him hand and foot until middle school when Yoongi was able to sit down and talk with him, telling him to back off and not to treat him like a fragile doll, but a person.  LIke his son, and his father listened to him.  Maybe it was because he was a boy, or maybe it was because his father accepted him from the beginning, you weren’t quite sure.  

That’s why you always tried so hard.  Whether it be in class, working on book smarts or building your magical properties.  Why you pushed so hard for a Familiar.  If you were to gain a Familiar, maybe he would finally notice you and all your potential you could build from now into the future.

Yoongi just pat your head and reached forward into the bag of chips to grab one and force it between your lips.  The salt stung slightly as you scowled at him.  He just messed up your hair before he stood up, making your body roll to the side and now lay on the ground.

“It’ll be fine.  Don’t worry about a 6-foot tall demon when you have me.”

“You’re literally 179 centimeters.  You’re a single inch off of 6 foot.”  

“That, my dear friend, is what makes me so much better.  I’m an inch smaller for travel convenience.”  You rolled your eyes as you watched Yoongi trot off into the kitchen, hearing clunking and removal of pots and plates from cabinets thereafter.

The rest of that night, Yoongi made it a top priority to keep your mind off the exam and most importantly your father. Throwing jokes, starting little skirmishes and even dabbled on the idea of getting you drunk so you could just puke and go to bed.  However, he took a miss on the alcohol, you did have a test in the morning.  Hangovers don’t work out for the brain and magic.  You could very well make something blow up if you're too hungover.

It was 11 when you finally crashed.  Spending so much energy just dealing with the back to back objects and tasks Yoongi threw at you.  Yoongi nodded in satisfaction before maneuvering you to throw you over his shoulder.  You know, like real friends do.  

Marching to your room with your body folded over his shoulder, utterly unconscious for the night, he moved into your room where he blew his lips and a small puff of light floated around to light the room.  There was a chance if he flipped the light switch on, you’d wake up and proceed to yell at him for carrying you like he was, a fact he knew you weren’t fond of.  The light, though small, was bright enough to show the path to your bed without running into anything or tripping on the journey from your door.  

It was a mystery, how your den and your bedroom had polar opposite vibes.  Your den, as he knew, was dark and felt like a cave when one stepped inside.  However, your bedroom was like how he could only imagine a child felt walking into a damn Build-A-Build store.  It was bright, and resemble your white magic specialization to a T.  Pastels from coral, to teal and even a nice shade of grey specked your room in the form of books or knick-knacks.  

Though, Yoongi wouldn’t say he disliked it.  His room resembled a monochromatic museum, that was just his style.  However, he would like to camp in your room with you if he ever needed a spark of color to lift a bad mood he felt on the horizon of his mind.

He carefully rolled you off his shoulder and put you, rather sloppily into bed.  Laying you sideways and having your feet hang off the edge of the mattress, but he couldn’t be bothered.  You were on the bed with no way of falling off unless you decided to fight in a war in the 6 hours you were going to be asleep.  He tossed your comforter over you and stretched his back.

You may be smaller than he is, and he may be a man, but that doesn’t make you any less heavy than the scale you complain about every morning.  I mean come on, the average weight for someone like you wasn’t something to get bent out of shape about.  Yet, it was often times he’d see you shove down rabbit food in the form of salads and greens before turning around and enjoying those chips you devour each chance you get.  Thus, prompting him to poke fun at you.

He turned to look into the mirror you had in your room.  It was large and wide as it sat upon your rather magnificent vanity.  The same vanity that Yoongi’s father and he helped pick out for you on your 18th birthday.  That was probably the first time Yoongi saw you actually cry in joy at something most girls had at the age of 13.  He smiled as he recalled the memory before he whistled lowly and the orb of light faded out.  

He followed the light from the hall that leaked in through the doorway to work his way out, one against without stumbling and took one final look back at you.  He smiled as he lifted his hand and created a small symbol.  It resembled a pair of doors opening inwards, hardly noticeable and small enough to hide in his palm.  He blew it out of his hand as it flitted over to you were it stuck your cheek.  

Then, he quietly closed your bedroom door.  He walked around the dorm and shut off all the lights and the TV before he retired to his own room.  He was still going to go to the stupid diner with you, even if he didn’t exactly like the taste of anything in there. Min Yoongi was many things, but he wasn’t a liar.  He promised to go with you, so he would.

You woke up the next morning to the sound of your alarm.  Annoyed you swatted your wrist at it, some force flinging from your fingertips to knock the clock off your bedside nightstand and against the wall.  Hearing the cracking of the cheap plastic, you lifted your head with squinted eyes before pushing your face back into the pillow.  Now you’d have to buy a new one, knowing Yoongi would refuse to fix another alarm clock from you.  This is the 7th alarm clock you’ve broken in the last 2 months alone after all.

Yet, none of that mattered as all you could think about is you had to get up.  You had an exam today.  

XXX

The morning trudged on as sparingly as you knew it would.  Getting dressed was the only fast part of your morning, racing against time on getting ready in your exam gowns.  It was a fundamental rule that when important eams rolled around, you were to where your school provided gowns.  They were simple, the female design much different than the male.  

The top was a black, almost violet undertone, fabric that ruffled and ran horizontally along your chest and hung below your shoulders around your bicep.  A hood and low hanging scarf were attached loosely to the back of the ruffled patch behind you that you looped around your neck and sat among your breasts.  The gown clung to your torso and the skirt divided at your thigh.  A centerpiece almost resembled a thick, old fashioned loincloth, covered your front (although just barely) while the rest of your skirt was cut off and fluttered behind you at your ankles.

It was flattering and charming sure, and even you were quite taken with how it looked from a mundane standpoint, but it was so exposing.  Walking around with it on, even if no one was around, made you feel too open.  And, of course, you ran into Jungkook.  

Yoongi was at your hip, glaring at any filthy minded warlock who tried to even think about peeping beneath your shoulders or down your legs.  It was actually Jimin, who stood at Jungkook’s side (as per usual) that flagged you both down.  It was a routine by now, one that Jungkook could frankly do without.

As you approached, clutching your spellbook to your front and keeping your eyes downcast, any other guy would probably see you as cute.  Cheeks red at the unwanted attention and quiet disgusting cat-calls threw your way.  You were quite the sight, much to Yoongi’s dismay.  It was like people were hitting on his sister to his face. 

“Wow!  Your exam robes look really good on you Y/n!  You look so pretty!”  You rubbed your bare shoulder with a free hand as you only managed to keep eye contact with the friendly Hellhound for a moment before staring back at his shoes.  Your own footwear was a pair of small, 3-inch, thick heels.  Also a stupid requirement of this damn gown.  

Jimin sensed your unease.  Sure, you were embarrassed by your gowns, you usually were, but you always tried to play it out with being extremely boisterous or over the top.  Overdramatic, so to speak. Today, though, you were different.  You were quiet, clammed up and he could practically smell the anxiousness pouring out of you with his heightened senses.  

He looked at Jungkook’s back; he had only glanced at you before he went back to swapping book in his locker to his bag.  Maybe an unexpected compliment would cheer you up?  

Jimin grabbed the back of Jungkook’s shirt, twisting him around and slammed his locker shut.  

“What are you doing you-?!”

“Don’t you think Y/n looks nice?”  He questioned.  You ducked your head.  You knew that Jimin only wanted to help cheer you up, the hound was always in tune with emotion.  No doubt he could tell your overly dramatic depressed mood.  Though, turning to Jungkook wasn’t the best option.  You were absolutely certain that the insult that was bound to roll off the stupid dragon’s tongue would push you to tears.  

You were too emotional this morning.  Fuck hormones.  

“Well?”  Jimin pushed a Jungkook remained silent.  He looked at you, but to him, you looked the same.  So what if you were wearing different clothes?  You were still you, the insufferable brat he’s put up with since he enrolled.  But, even he could feel the dread coming from you.  Jungkook wasn’t heartless.

“Jimin,” Yoongi starts, trying to avert a possible scene to keep you together, “It’s alright.  We’ll just-”

“Yeah,” Jungkook interrupts. Yoongi looked at him, almost insulted he was interrupted.  Jungkook just slung his bag over his shoulder as it rested on his back now.  He stuffed his hands into his pockets as he slouched to a leg.  The bangs that were separated off his forehead shook in the bounce he took to look at your smaller than usual form.  “You look nice.”  

Jimin and Yoongi for shocked, to say the least.  Sure, Jimin wanted him to compliment you, but he didn’t actually think he would!  Jimin broke into a smile and turned to you.  He quickly grabbed your hand that still rubbed your naked shoulder.  You snapped your head to him, cheeks still flushed as they seemed to lose their redness at Jimin’s over-enthusiastic form.  

“See!  Now, good luck on the tests!  You’ll do great! The best B Rank witch ever!”

“That’s what I told her too!”  Yoongi quips up to help lighten the mood.  And before you knew it, you busted into laughter.  You don’t know why you were laughing, you were still dreading the exam and you were still so nervous walking was a chore, but you felt better.  

You turned to Yoongi after you pulled your hand from Jimin.  “I’m ready to go now. Better rip the bandaid off, right?”  He nodded as he slung his arm around your shoulder.  

“That’s the spirit!”  

You quickly turned to Jungkook, looking at him as he watched all of this happened in silence.  He could’ve left, maybe he was hanging around waiting for Jimin.  He did every other time.  “Thanks,” you quietly say before Yoongi is dragging you off until you both are out of sight.  

“You’re welcome,” he muttered completely to himself.  Jimin looked at him.  

“Did you say something?”

“I called her stupid.”   

Jimin opened his mouth in astonishment.  “Come on!  You were just nice to her!” 

“Yeah?  Well, there’s a first for everything.  I still don’t like her.  Salem will still be on my ‘hate’ list, no matter what fancy garbs she puts on.”  He spun on his heel, working his way to his first class.  “Come on, we’ll be late.”  Jimin ran behind him, catching up.

“We’ve been late before!  Hold on!”  Jungkook only sped up, leaving his best friend to run in a chase.  Though Jimin easily caught up, he was a hound after all.

XXX

Yoongi sat in his class, watching the clock tick down second by second with a bouncing, impatiently knee.  He sat slumped with his elbow on his desk as his palm supported his chin.  Fingers tapping his cheek.  He wasn’t even paying attention, frankly, he hadn’t been ever since he sat down.  Once this class ended, you’d be out of your exams and he’d get to find out if you passed for the third attempt since your first year or not.

It was 14 minutes later when his class was dismissed and Yoongi literally just phased into a shadow.  Hiding his body and zipping through the halls along the walls and ceilings.  Traveling by shadows is the fastest, most efficient form of travel; at least for a dark warlock like himself who knows how to actually control it and now get stuck in the shadows like many have done before.  

The tactic was much more complex than you would think.  If not performed correctly, one could even suffocate within the shadows of something as small as a puppy.

He was down the halls, scaling stairs and zooming along the corridors of the outside courts before he quite literally flew out of a wall right next to the door of your classroom.  Your class had already started filing out, the hoods of robes being flung down and some stupid, over appreciated jocks even flexing the pride that is their passing grade.  

He waited at the doors until he peeked inside, still not seeing you exit.  Perhaps he came just a split second too late?  He leaned in the doorway to see you, standing in front of the professor as he spoke to you, waving his hands about. You nodded, talking back with him as Yoongi stepped inside. He was familiar with this professor anyways.

“Ah, Min Yoongi, what a pleasure,” the professor spoke.  You turned around, flipping down the hood of your gown as he moved briskly to your side.  Yoongi nodded to the teacher.

“Tihex,” he said.  He had long dropped any title from instructors names.  No Mr. Ms., or Professors for him.  Just using their names. Some found it endearing, others not so much. Tihex didn’t really care though, he was a young professor and rather open-minded.  Wanting to connect with each student of his in one way or another.  Yoongi looked at you as he opened his mouth.  “How’d you do?” 

You blinked up at him as you then looked to Tihex.  He smiled as he motioned to Yoongi basically telling you to tell Yoongi your scores.  The way that scoring works is that throughout the exam, your given a slip of paper for your professor to mark points on.  Whether to deduct or add on points.  Another is the class ranking.  On the wrist of each participant that passed the exams with high enough remarks and points were given a name stamped on their forearm.  That number places what magical standpoint they are in their class.  The Spellcaster with the number 1 on their forearm being the most excelling student as of the current standpoint.

You opened off your spellbook and handed Yoongi your point slip as he looked over the numbers.  High marks all around.  He smiled as you tilted your head in pride.  

“These numbers are awesome!”  He cheered, even stomping a little jig in excitement.  “What rank did you get in class?”  He was eager to know.  Y, u however, didn’t even know that yet.  

“I don’t know.  I was about to be stamped when you came in.”  The two of you looked to Tihex who was busy playing with his magic stamp.  Customized with stickers and even a little bow, of course, the stamp wasn’t originally his and he did have to pay the school board a hefty price once he started slapping stickers on it.  

He stuck out his hand to you.  “May I finally place you in the ranks now, Miss L/n?”  You nodded as you rolled up your sleeve and showed him your bare, blank forearm.  Yoongi looked over your shoulder, forgetting the idea of seeing your face before he knew your number.  

Professor Tihex took the back of your hand before he placed the stamp on you and with a small push, a puff of pink smoke and a few coughing fits later, he pulled the stamp away from you. There on your forearm was a pink, scripted 1.

Yoongi crashed into your back as he picked you up and flung you around, almost violently.  This is all he wanted, you to succeed.  He stopped shaking you around, yet he still held you off the floor, toes just brushing the tile as Tihex laughed.  

“You two are like a pair of siblings.”  Yoongi laughed as he felt you try to touch the ground, to which he lifted you higher. You had half a mind to place a weight spell on your body, but you knew he could counteract it with a relieving spell, so it would just be a waste of magic and time.

“We have a diner to go to!”  He cheered.  You grabbed his arms, panicking slightly as you raise your knees.

“Yoongi! No!”  You felt him start to shift his body to travel in the shadows again, only this time, he’s taking you with him.  “I’m still in my gowns!”  Then, he sunk into the floor, taking you with him and zooming out, leaving Tihex wondering if he’d bring you back to finish your classes for the rest of the school day.

The ceremony for passing Spellcasters was 3 days later.  Letters and messenger falcons (old school yes, but some folk refuses to conform to technology) were sent out to every parent of the successful students.  Many showed to see their children come back with signs of a Familiar.  Some whose child wasn’t shy even got to meet their child’s new Familiar’s first hand.

The robes for the ceremony were all the same style.  As opposed to exam gowns that differ between the sexes, ceremonial gowns were all the same. A completely black get up for dark magic users and completely white for white magic users.  Though there are some who dabble in both, they always lean more towards one than the other.  Yours, of course, were pure white.  

Long sleeves wide and rather comfortable.  Fabric layered overcrossing over the chest and waist in diagonal cuts.  Top piece cut into a square around the neck, and uncommon yet flattering attention to detail.  The bottom was cut into pant sleeves, yet most certainly aren’t pants.  They were large, fluttering and spacious.  Though divided, they moved around your legs and feet like the skirt of a dress.  Your hair was up, pushed into two thick hair ties, the handy work done by Yoongi himself.  Finally, each student wore a numbered necklace of their rank.  Yours was a golden 1 that rested on your chest.  

You were gathered in a room with your fellow classmates, family and friends outside in the courts yards out front, holding small conversations here and there as well as taking congratulatory remarks for being top. The feeling still hadn’t sunk in yet that you passed. Now, here you were about to get your Familiar that has been chosen by fate.  

Soon, a bell was chimed and each student went to their numbered chair.  Chairs were lined in rows in the main building as the Spellcaster head professor stood on a small stage in front of a door leading to a private back room.  The ceremony of Familiar and Master is entirely private, not even the professor may know unless the Master so chooses.

Interestingly enough, the order in which the students are called up to cast their spell and summon their familiar is from the bottom student to the top.  So, you would be the final student to summon.  Time ticked by, students going in and coming out with a neutral expression, some with mixed feelings and others practically dancing.  

“Spellcaster 1,” the professor speaks and you stand, making your way to the stage door, white gown flicking your leather sandal covered feet.  You stood in front of the door and took a shaky breath.  “Good luck,” the professor spoke without even looking at you as you pushed the knob into the room down and stepped inside.  You heard the door lock behind you as you looked around.

A summoning circle was in the middle of the room with a spellbook on an altar in the center.  Open and bookmarked on the page in which the spell you needed was open and ready for reading. The room was flicking with floating, uneven orbs of light and it was dark.  Black cloth hung from the ceiling covering the tiles from view as you stepped forward.  You stopped in front of the altar and looked at the spell.  

You knew this spell well, you had read and re-read it over and over again in hopes of one day finally being able to use it.  Now was that time.  You closed your eyes and took a breath, right before you opened your mouth and began to softly speak the incantation.

XXX

Jungkook was sat in his room in his dorm which he somehow got all to himself.  He was a late student to apply for a dorm room, so he was stuck with the last option, a one-person dorm with a single room, bathroom and kitchen.  He didn’t mind though, being on his own in his own space was actually preferred.  He sat at his desk, typing up an essay he had due for a class when he was dozing off.  

He was jerked awake and startled when he thought he heard someone mumbling behind him.  Spinning around in his twisting-rolly chair, he nearly flung himself out of it.  No one was there, there couldn’t be.  Wouldn’t be.  He lived in this dorm alone and even if someone got inside, he could hear them.  Turning back to his computer he left with a long line of ‘kkkkkkk’ after he dosed with his finger on the key, he backspaced and jerked when he felt a jolt of electricity shoot through him.  

Jungkook kicked up, pushing his chair behind him as he stepped away from his computer and looked around.  His body felt light and heavy, stuck in an uncomfortable balance.  It was like he was on the verge of getting drunk, yet still not there and haven’t taken any shots.

Another jolt of shock made him shout in annoyance as he felt himself phase between consciousness.  He rubbed his eyes, blinking once then twice before his wrist began to burn.  

Shrieking, he wasn’t used to the idea of burning, given he wasn’t supposed to feel heat.  It stung as he looked at to what he could have possibly done or what to see what was happening. A small burn was etching into the skin of his wrist.  Circling his wrist like a bracelet in red, angry, raised skin.  The pain made his body shift.

Breaking into a mid-shift form, his wings tore through the fabric of his shirt and stayed folded against his back. His horns twisted from the crown of his head as the scales on his neck and cheeks felt chilled.  His fangs bit into his lip as his golden eyes glowed and his slit pupils dilated.  

The burn soon finished etching it’s tribal pattern and ignited.  Jungkook shouted as he slapped at it, waving to put the random flames out.  Oddly enough, the fire engulfed his hand, yet it was only his wrist that continued burn.  Soon, the fire snuffed itself out and all that was left was a black, tribal tattoo around his wrist.  

“What the hell?”  He whispered, out of breath and confused. Voice shaking and looking around, he wondered if he was somehow hexed.

His eyes burned and watered as he rubbed at them.  Blinking once and then twice, he looked up to find himself somewhere that was most definitely not his dorm room.  He stumbled backward.  “What the fuck is happening?!”  He was in a room with black cloth and stupid lights of what? Gas?  

“Jungkook?”  He whipped around, more than ready for any explanation as to what in the everloving hell was going on only to have his face fall when he saw you.  Dressed in nothing but pure white garbs, you stared back into his half shifted form.  

“What in the hell are you doing here?   No, wait, where the hell is here?  Where am I?!”  He whipped his arms around as the short sleeves of his torn shirt showed his arms and wrist, to which you looked your eyes onto.  Jungkook saw you looking wide-eyed at his wrist.  He brought it up and pointed it at with his opposite hand. “Did you do this to me!?”  

“I-”  you started, looking around with a fallen face.  He seethed as he stomped towards you, grabbing the rectangular collar of your gown and pulled you to your toes.  “Jungkook, stop it!”  

“What did you do, Salem!!”  

“Release me!”  You demanded as his hand immediately opened, dropping you and he took two prompt steps backward.  As if he had lost his free will for a moment.  He shook his head as he looked at his hand then to you.  

“What did- did you just control me?”  You didn’t answer, only pulled up the sleeve of your gown to show him the same burned on tattooed on your wrist he had on his.  He looked at his wrist then to yours.  “What?”  He was so confused as the turn of events blew right over his head in terms of what was happening.  You sighed as you pointed behind him to the spellbook on the altar.  

He turned as he looked at the title of the incantation.  

“Summoning and Binding of a… Familiar?”  His voice shook as he read the title aloud. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”  He spoke with a breath of disbelief.  “I got bound?”  He turned around.  “To you?”  He spoke with wide eyes and a wrinkled forehead from his raised brows. He pushed his hair back, his claws scraping his skin as he remembered he was still partially shifted.  

He took a few calming breaths before tucking his wings back into his back and hiding his scales.  His teeth shortened and his eyes reverted back to their wide pupils and whites. He cleared his throat as you stood there.  

“What just happened was absolute subjugation.  I gave you an order unquestionably and you were forced to obey it.” You rolled your sleeve back down to lay against your fingertips.  “It’s a power that a Master holds over their Familiar,”  you muttered.  Jungkook cursed as he looked at his two sides.  

One door was to his right, outside it was a small murmur of chatting.  The Spellcasters must be outside that door.  To his left was another door with the light from outside slipping through the cracks.  He clicked his tongue as he stomped over to the outside door and opened it.  Seeing the courts behind the school.  

“You are not my Master, Y/n,” he spits as he stepped outside and slammed the door shut behind him.  Leaving you the Master of a Familiar who never wanted you.  Your one true wish crumbling at your feet. All good things, you feared, must always come to an end.

-TBC-