#Monkey Sign Language (MSL) strikes again

[lucagray813]

Co-Exist AU - Part 3

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Season 2 here we go!

It doesn't take MK long to question why they're not just taking the fight to LBD because surely she's no match for the Monkey King, right?

Which, pfft, obviously she's not but while she is most definitely not as powerful as him, she is plenty dangerous. She's all but unkillable for a start and her particular brand of magic makes her exceptionally difficult to keep imprisoned so they need to have a fool proof game plan before they face her because if she gets away there's no easy way to find her or figure out her next move.

Right now she's lying low, taking her time, she doesn't know that they know what she's up to - they have the advantage and they need to make the most of it because trust him, kid, you don't want to find out what that witch is capable of when provoked.

Naturally, MK asks how they stopped her last time and Wukong explains that it was his master that had figured out how to lock her away but as it transpired that hadn't been the permanent solution they had hoped for.

But together they were going to get rid of her for good this time and he already had ideas brewing! He just needed to check out a couple of things first - follow some leads, talk to some old friends, that kind of stuff.

All of which MK is keen to get involved in but Wukong is quick to tell him that his responsibility in all this will be to focus on his training and helping Mac protect the island whenever he's away. And let's not forget you've still got a city protect, kid.

It all sounds very reasonable, even if he doesn't think Mac needs help, but MK can't help but feel he's being sidelined and is very put out that Wukong won't actually fill him in on what he's planning to do whenever he's away.

From Wukong's perspective, he's just trying to keep the kid safe - he's going to be checking out some dangerous places that MK legit isn't ready to go yet and he's likely going to be doing some morally/legally dubious things that he doesn't want MK to see or get involved in. The less MK knows the better.

But while Wukong would rather keep MK in the dark about a lot of things, he does feel the need to caution him about LBD. She's smart, she's not going to make a move before she's got all her ducks in a row, so he's not necessarily afraid she's going to put MK in immediate danger but she could very well try and get information from him.

LBD is a master of disguise, he warns, and that's why it's important that he needs to learn to hone his instincts and remember his Golden Vision.

He wants him to get in the habit of using it in the first instance whenever something feels off or when faced with a new situation. In fact from now on, he'll be randomly checking to make sure MK is staying on his toes - via traps, surprise attacks and turning up in disguise himself while MK's in the city.

MK is unbelievably stressed over the fact that there's such a dangerous enemy plotting beneath his feet and he gets exceedingly paranoid that everyone he runs into could be her in disguise. Something that doesn't go unnoticed by his friends and family but, like canon, MK makes the questionable decision to keep his knowledge of LBD to himself (which we'll get into later with this AU's version of the Shadow Play.)

But his paranoia does ease up a little as nothing LBD related seems to pop up and he gets better and better at using his powers and acing Wukong's surprise tests of his Golden Vision.

Down in the depths of Spider Queen's lair, Huntsman's absence has most definitely been noted and while no one feels particularly upset about his presumed death it does leave the Spider's feeling uneasy. For LBD, it simply offers her a conundrum of how to gain access to Wukong's vault and really there's only one person she could conceivably try to manipulate into gaining her access.

Fortunately, she already has the perfect disguise in Bǎi Hé.

It's not hard for the mayor to "encourage" some demons to incite some chaos in the city - Bǎi Hé won't be showing up anywhere with Spider Demons (no need to give MK any reason to be suspicious, after all.) And it's then straightforward enough to put herself in a position that MK can save her from.

She is very aware of MK's Golden Vision and thusly for this initial meeting, she actually relinquishes her control on Bǎi Hé altogether, recapturing her only once MK has saved the day. MK only interacts with Bǎi Hé for a split second to remove her from harm's way - giving the real Bǎi Hé no chance to warn him about LBD.

(I'm on the fence if the real Bǎi Hé is aware she's being used as bait or if LBD tampered with her memory somehow. If the real Bǎi Hé is aware of what's going on then know that she's absolutely terrified.)

A couple of days later, LBD (as Bǎi Hé) appears at Pigsy's Noodles, deliberately picking a time she knows MK won't be there, wearing her Monkey King schoolbag and looking nervous.

Pigsy, and Tang, take note of her and once he's given her her noodles he asks if she's alright. "Gathering her courage" she asks if this is where the Monkie Kid works and she explains that she wanted to thank him for saving her the other day - she even has a gift for him!

Tang and Pigsy try and tell her that no thanks are needed, especially not a gift but they agree to pass it on to MK when he gets back. LBD is long gone by the time he's back and after a quick check with his Golden Vision is very touched by the chocolate and the hand drawn card calling him her hero and he's sorry he missed her - vaguely remembering the girl he'd saved from her description.

LBD shows up a couple of more times, on her way home from school, trying to catch a glimpse of MK (knowing full well he won't be there). She endears herself to Pigsy by always buying some food to go and complimenting his cooking and she endears herself to Tang by being an obvious Monkey King fan - the two chatting while Pigsy makes her food. Eventually, Pigsy tells MK to hang about one afternoon so she can actually meet him.

The thought of using his Golden Vision doesn't even cross her mind - she's just some sweet kid that he saved and that has both Tang and Pigsy's approval and look at how unbelievably excited and nervous she is to have a chance to ask for his autograph and on some fanart she drew of him!

(Side note: I think it would be funny if the Spider Demons and the mayor had been tasked with the fanart (I think the mayor's artwork was almost immediately disqualified for being too abstract and disturbing). Strong likes the drawing, Syntax is highly offended but is goaded into trying to outdo Strong, Spider Queen is disgusted with the whole thing.)

And so, every once in a while LBD shows up to say hello to her hero, still sometimes missing him, and the two start to bond over Monkey King and art. He's none the wiser when a wide-eyed LBD asks him if he'd really met the Monkey King and been to Flower Fruit Mountain - she's not asking anything he wouldn't have asked after all.

And then the fatal mistake happens.

MK let's her flick through some of his artwork and she very innocently asks who this other monkey that looks like Monkey King is.

MK explains that's just a friend of Monkey King's and full of wonder she asks if he stays on the island too and if he's just as strong? He answers that yeah, he lives on the island and that he's super strong but his powers are totally different from Wukong's. He gives her his name when asked and just like that she has the lead she's been waiting for.

She's heard of the Six-Eared Macaque, his name comes up more than once in the book.

A book that mentions he has the ability to Listen to the past and the future.

A demon close to the Monkey King, very likely one with access to the cave, and with a power so useful to ensuring destiny is on track?

Destiny has delivered her the perfect Champion.

While all of this has been happening with LBD, MK has been getting closer to Mac - training with him again and sharing lookout responsibilities while Wukong is away (MK has dayshift, Mac nightshift and the two hang out during the evening for a little while.)

Mac is overall displeased with Wukong's current strategy but he unfortunately knows better than to question the king and so he's just doing his best to prepare for when everything inevitably goes wrong.

And one thing he can do is try to positively influence MK and stop him following in his mentor's footsteps.

This comes to a head one evening following an "argument" of sorts between MK and Wukong. MK is well in the habit of checking over Wukong with his Golden Vision at this point so when he comes back glamoured to hide the fact he's a little worse for wear after searching one of LBD's old hideouts MK calls him out.

He wants to know what he's doing! He can help! Wukong is dismissive - reiterating that MK is most useful here getting stronger and protecting the island. The Monkey King has everything in hand.

MK is complaining about this to Mac the next time that Wukong is away, even going as far to suggest he should follow him and prove he's more use to him by his side that being left here without a clue what he's really doing.

The whole time he's doing this, Mac notes how he ignores the way his phone is buzzing, as he often does when his friends and family try and contact him for anything but an attack on the city.

Mac very helpfully points out the similarities between Wukong's behaviour and MK's - using the shadows to show two images side by side of Wukong walking away from MK and MK walking away from his friends.

MK is quick to tell him that it's not the same. That he's keeping his friends safe. He's practically invincible and with Monkey King's powers to boot - they don't. He can't let them get involved with this LBD mess - a demon that's giving even Wukong a hard time. It's not the same.

There's a seed of doubt been planted however and Mac intends to see it grow.

He has the shadows show him Mei growing more concerned and frustrated before eventually taking matters into her own hands and following MK the way that he was planning to follow Wukong and getting hurt by LBD as a result.

MK misunderstands, thinking Mac is telling him not to follow Wukong because he's not strong enough and Mac decides it's time to try a different tact.

It's time for the Shadow Play.

This Shadow Play shares similar beats from the original. It focuses at first on Mac and Wukong being friends and equals before showing how the relationship changes as Wukong gets more powerful, ignoring Mac, refusing to listen to his concerns and making decisions for both of them until it eventually accumulates in a burning island and Monkey King trapped under a mountain.

The point Mac wants to get across isn't that bad things happened because he or Wukong weren't strong enough but because Wukong had thought he knew what was best, that he could do it all by himself and that was the reason for his downfall.

To avoid any doubt, he has the Shadow Play run again but with Mei and MK in Mac and Wukong's roles respectively, fine tuning the story to make it more in line with the modern age - ignored phone calls, etc., but instead of ending in fire, it ends in ice and it ends with MK alone.

Mac wants him to see that by making the choice for his friends MK isn't keeping them safe.

MK struggles with this because he knows the moment he tells his friends about LBD they'll want to help him take her down however they can and he just can't let them do that but at the same time does he really know what he's doing? His friends don't have to get involved in the fighting to help and if there is a risk that things do hit the fan then they'd probably like a heads up at least.

He also really doesn't want his friendships to fall apart the way that Mac and Wukong's relationship did.

So he promises to think about it. But he can't resist asking Mac if this is the reason he avoids Wukong (he suspects there's more to it because he remembers Mac's fear at the idea of MK challenging Wukong) but he doesn't get an answer, just a request that he better than Wukong.

And that rounds up this installment! Next time - Mac becomes LBDs unwilling champion!

As ever, any thoughts or ideas - I'd love to hear them!