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silvergolddraco28 · 1 year

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Cursed Ink - 4 Fork in the road

“Doing no good... Staying in me...” Wukong slurred. “Gotta protect my mate’s back... Gotta get’em to the cubs” Wukong slurred even more like he was drunk.

Macaque dropped to his knees, curling around the shorter monkey. A broken keen escaped him as he cradled the king. He pressed his face against the side of Wukong’s head, tears dripping down his cheeks. “Mate?” The ebony warrior whispered, hope in his voice.

“My mate...” Wukong repeated purring like a cat.

“Mine?” Macaque sniffled, looking into the other monkey’s eyes. Hopeful eyes searching Wukong’s. Wukong nodded. Pressing their noses together. A sign of affection between monkeys. Macaque gave the sage a shy, little smile, brushing their noses together. He raised a hand to the king’s face, caressing Wukong’s cheek with his knuckles. “Seriously, Sunshine. The worst timing. Why’d I have to fall for such an idiot king?” Macaque murmured fondly, a subtle purr coming from his chest.

“I'm smart...” Wukong huffed nuzzling into the hand just as another set of cracks formed over Wukong’s head. Only a small section flaked off revealing a familiar and heavily beaten crown that rested on Wukong’s head. The gold had faded to a more bronze-like color from the years of abuse.

Macaque’s face fell, heart breaking. “We match now, Peaches.” He whispered, mournfully clinking their circlets together. “Wasn’t that supposed to be removed?” He bumped their noses again, cradling the other’s face. Gently brushing his thumb over Wukong’s cheek, he closed his eyes. ‘Just for a moment. We can have this for a moment.’

“Heaven’s Leash... Didn't trust me enough to have it removed... I hid it after erasing the sutra from living memory.” Wukong stated. Before his ears twitched. “Mango... Get moving now!”

Without missing a beat Macaque threw himself forward, quickly breaking into a sprint. “What is it?”

“The feet, heavy in armor... Why the fuck does it sound like the Celestial Army!?” Wukong growled.

Macaque’s ears flicked and icy fear shot through him. “Shit! Hold on tight.” He warned, picking up speed and practically flying down the tunnel.

“This tunnel should come out a few miles from the beach.” Wukong informed. “Let's hope the pit traps and swinging axes were removed but I highly doubt our luck right now.”

“Fucking delightful .” Macaque growled, holding the king tightly. “When we get out what are we going to do about Azure?” He kept his eyes focused on where he was running, ears twitching at the slightest sound.

“Keep him far away from Mk. The kid doesn't need to know some things he would naturally find out on his own when he turns of demon age.”

“And if we can’t do that?” Macaque asked, ducking under a stalactite.

“I don't know...” Wukong replied. “Duck!”

Macaque hunched down as a spear wizzed above his head. He gritted his teeth and started weaving through the tunnel, trying to make his movements unpredictable. “Any ideas how to lose them?” He huffed, shifting Wukong as he ran.

“Want to try your luck out running a boulder? I think not.” Wukong rhetorically asked. “Give me a minute.” Wukong stated closing his eyes, pulling at strings of power inside of him feeling it rise. He opened his eyes as gold and purple power flooded his eyes before a gold and purple portal appeared in front of them swallowing them before the appeared on the beach tumbling over the sand from the speedy exit.

“Woah!” Macaque slipped on the sudden terrain change, sending him and Wukong sprawling into the sand. “Ow.” The warrior grumbled, shaking sand off his face.

“That... That was not what... I expected a portal... To do...” Wukong stated looking sick to his stomach as he groaned at the feeling of being car sick. Mk had once told him what it meant to be car sick yet he never was when they were on that road trip for the rings. This portal he had just made on his first try? Yeah that felt like car sickness.

“I think I’m gonna be sick.” Macaque rasped, pressing a hand to his temple. “First time I take it?” He stumbled to his feet, walking over to Wukong.

“First time I ever used magic other than my own much less in a mix like that.” Wukong stated. “Your portals are so much smoother.

“I thought I told you that you're not leaving Peaches.” an all too familiar yet twisted voice spoke from above.

Macaque snarled, placing himself between Wukong and the ink monster. “Don’t call him that!” His eyes flashed as he bared his teeth.

Ink dropped down from a tree looking perfectly relaxed while his white tail swung behind him. “Seems you lost a lot of those layers while I was away Peaches... Still haven't shed that mortal skin for your truest form yet though.”

“Says the off brand Macaque.” Macaque snapped, blocking Ink’s view of the struggling king. “No one likes an unoriginal sequel.”

“Ha! Says the living zombie pumping with ice magic.” Ink sparked back. “At least I look closer to what Luier was in the past, give or take a few cosmetic changes.”

A low growl built in Macaque’s chest. “Stealing a look that you can’t even pull off right. I believe that’s called desperation which fits you to a T.” The warrior snapped, clenching his fists. His tail wrapped around Wukong’s wrist, holding it firmly.

Ink simply smirked, raising a hand to his ear before a familiar golden light appeared with a very familiar staff forming in his hand with a green bladed sword appearing on his hip. “Want to test that theory, King's Shadow?”

Macaque formed his staff, eyes narrowed at the Ink monster. He braced himself, smirking. “Not a theory when there is just so much evidence. Haven’t you heard? Courtship kidnapping fell out of fashion centuries ago.” He twirled his staff, ears alert.

[Careful Mac... That's my staff and Mei’s sword.] Wukong ‘spoke’ into Macaque’s mind using telepathy, it was one of the few powers that didn't use a lot of energy and that Macaque actually had in turn as long as Wukong was the one to start the connection and keep it open.

[We’re kinda out of options, Peaches!] Macaque gritted his teeth, eyes locked on Ink. [If you have any ideas, please, I’m all ears! ] Even mentally, the sarcasm was more than obvious.

[one... But you won't like it very much.] Wukong responded as a leaf fell between the white and black monkeys falling to the sand and like a silent timer the two attacked.

Macaque brought up his staff, blocking an overhead strike from Ink. Ink smirked at the ebony monkey. Macaque snarled, twisting the two staffs to the side and kicking Ink back. Ink spun his staff around and swiped at Macaque’s head. The warrior twirled out of the path of the blow, eyes focused. Macaque sprang forward aiming a jab at Ink’s side, but was swiftly blocked by a green blade. Ink’s eyes darted over to Wukong, looking for a weakness. “Your fight is with me, creep!” Macaque snarled, dropping to a crouch and kicking Ink’s legs from under him. Ink caught himself on his hand and spun around, foot catching Macaque’s arm and pushing him back. [If you have a plan, Peaches, use it! I can’t hold him off for much longer.] As Macaque spoke, Ink extended the staff, sending it flying towards the ebony monkey. Macaque dodged, springing back.

[keep the cubs safe... I love you.] Wukong sent before opening his eyes that we're completely purple this time. Shadows thickened around him before several shadow like clones shot out dog piling Ink while a portal swallowed Macaque, Wukong’s staff and Mei’s sword all in one go. Wukong felt pain piece his chest looking down at an arrow coated in something sickly green sticking through his chest before he blacked out.

“Wukong!” Macaque roared as he fell into the portal, hand reaching for the king before the portal closed.

“Macaque!” a familiar voice called out from behind the black monkey. He spun around coming face to face with Wukong’s successor. “Macaque what is going on with this scroll?! It keeps pushing Mei and I back when we try to wake up everyone from their past lives.” the boy expressed looking lost and stressed.

“It’s cursed. You both okay?” Macaque looked between MK and Mei, scanning them for any injuries. He banished his staff and pulled the two startled heroes into a quick hug.

“Aww! You do care!” Mei teased, briefly exchanging a concerned glance with MK.

“I said no such thing.” Macaque denied releasing the young adults. “You said the scroll isn’t allowing you near the others?”

“Nope, it even took away my staff and Mei’s sword... That are currently lying right next to you…” Mk tailed looking confused.

“Long story short, the curse has gained some sort of sentience based off the person that used it’s subconscious desires.” Macaque growled, fur fluffing up slightly. “And if there’s one thing he’s wanted for as long as I’ve known him, it’s Wukong. So we have to wake the others quickly.” He picked up the sword, handing it to Mei. “It’s main form is with him. We could both get away so he sent me.”

Mei gripped her sword firmly. “You think someone is controlling the scroll?” Her eyes flashed green.

“Only one Lion I know has such an obsession withWukong it would bleed into any artifact that even had a shred of sentience. How do you think I got this thing on my head?” Macaque said pointing out to the cursed crown.

MK and Mei’s eyes widened. “AHHH!?” MK pointed at the filet!

“Aaah! Your ears are so cute!” Mei shrieked, pulling out her phone and snapping a picture. “Oh and the cursed filet or whatever.”

MK grabbed Macaque's shoulders and started shaking him. “How did you get that? Did you say Lion? Why do you have six ears?”

“Bud I'm the Six Eared Macaque. I hide my ears under a glamor to muffle out the extra sound and not to gain more attention from other demons that have a bone to pick with me. Azure Lion is the only lion that I know and this thing is from that damn copy cat that’s trying to get Wukong as its mate.” Macaque answered after he stopped Mk from shaking him feeling a rush of power filling him from the boy. “How the hell are you still moving with all that energy?!”

“What do you mean?” MK asked tilting his head. “I’m always energetic!”

Mei’s head snapped up to Macaque’s. “I’m sorry. Did you say Uncie Azure wants to mate with Monkey King?”

“Yes... Who told you he was an Uncle? Neither of you was ever supposed to meet him. The damn overgrown fur ball can choke on his own fur for all I care. I'm not letting him touch Sunshine every again.” Macaque growled showing off his impressive six inch monkey fangs in his anger at the mention of the blue lion.

“I knew it!” Mei shouted, jumping on MK’s back. “I told you!” She cackled.

“Mei! I told you! Monkey King isn’t my dad! Wait.” MK turned to Macaque, gasping. “You called Monkey King Sunshine?”

“And you guys still call him Monkey King instead of Wukong what's the difference?” Macaque retorted.

Mei giggled, winking at the monkey. “Sounds like someone is jealous.”

“This makes so much sense.” MK muttered, pulling out a notebook and scribbling something down.

“Let’s just get your friends before that copycat finds us... I thought Sunshine put a limiter on your powers?” Macaque asked while rubbing at the small headache between his eyes. His six ears twitched and moved like individual radio dishes.

“He did that ages ago!” MK nodded, shoving the notebook back who knows where.

“Do you think that weird key thing started to open it?” Mei asked, rolling her eyes at Macaque’s attempt to change the subject.

“The Skeleton Key! Out of all the things you used that?! No wonder your overflowing with energy your basically no longer human at this point.” Macaque exclaimed. “Fuck this must be what Sunshine meant when he said you couldn't learn this until you had your coming of demon age day.”

“I’m sorry. My what ?” MK chuckled, nervously. “I’m just regular old MK! What do you mean not human? I’m of age! I literally have a car and a job!”

“MK’s a demon now?” Mei gasped with stars in her eyes. “That’s so cool! You would make a great demon, MK!”

“Let’s get moving I’ll explain on the way. Don't not interrupt me cause I am not explaining it more then once and unlike Sunshine I'm blunt and won't hold back in information you need to know. What I need to know Mk is if you know anything before your fifth birthday.” Macaque stated.

“Uuhhh. What do you mean? I don’t really remember anything from before that. Do you, Mei?” The boy asked.

Mei shrugged, typing on her phone. “Not really. Maybe a little bit. But not much.”

“Kid, do you even know if you have parents?”

“Of course I do!” MK protested, crossing his arms. “Pigsy’s my Dad!”

“The ones that gave birth to you.” Macaque clarified.

“Why would that matter?” MK grumbled, looking away from Mei and Macaque. “I have my dads. I don’t need my birth parents.” Mei placed a hand on his shoulder, giving it a comforting squeeze.

“Kid. I'm only asking because that key should have unlocked everything in you body and mind including lost or suppressed memories from childhood... The only way you wouldn't have memories before being five years old is if you were just born .” Macaque stated.

()()()()()

Gold and ruby eyes with a slight green tint slowly opened with a nasty headache curling up slightly at the cold air that nipped at bare skin not covered in fur.

“Wakey wakey, Peaches .” A familiar voice snickered. “I’m getting tired of waiting~!” The monkey felt a kick against his ribs.

Wukong’s eyes snapped open at that gasping at the immediate pain. ‘That's going to bruise...’ Wukong thought.

“Look who finally decided to wake up.” A hand gripped his hair and pulled his face up. Still in the guise of the pale furred Macaque, Ink grinned. “Hey, Sunshine . Miss me?”

“Not very,” Wukong growled with a glare. ‘Gods I feel weak...’

Ink chuckled, holding up a golden shard. “Missing something?” His fangs gleamed ominously.

Wukong’s eyes shrunk at seeing the shard in his hand. “What did you do?” Wukong demanded before Ink scowled.

“You don't seem to understand the position you're in Peaches.” Ink stated.

Wukong shifted up so he was half sitting up. His side twinged in warning and he hissed, pressing his hand against the new bruise. “What position is that?”

“You're not a King here. Just a Bad Monkey.” Ink stated smugly before Wukong felt the familiar crown around his head tightening.

The russet monkey flinched, rearing back. “You’re not my Master.” He snarled, eyes blazing. “You don’t get to say that!” He gripped his head, fighting back tears.

“Not tight enough? I can make it tighter the more you Misbehave.” Ink stated.

“Fuck. You.” Wukong growled, determined to take as much of the curse’s attention as possible. ‘The longer it’s focused on me, the more time they have.’

“Oh, I think you would like that after you behave.” Ink stated, circling Wukong’s basically prone form. “Tell me, who in their right mind would want to love a weak and savage beast that can’t even read and write properly?”

Wukong bared his teeth, growling. “Says the creepy stalker that wants to mate me. Maybe I didn’t make myself clear. Not. Interested.” Ink simply snapped his fingers making an inky black mirror appear before Wukong. The ink bled away to a large full-length mirror that reflected not a golden monkey but a monkey made out of molten stone with a softly glowing golden core, purple-tainted arms and legs with deep orange ‘spikes’ in the shape of a mane. “What is this?” Wukong grumbled, glaring at the fake monkey.

“Your true form. One not hidden under the illusion of flesh. Didn't you ever find it odd a flesh and blood monkey was born from solid stone?” Ink asked impressed Wukong was not screaming in pain from the tightening crown. Wukong winced, one eye slipping shut as he tried to figure out the curse’s goal. Claws dug deep into Wukong’s arms while hot breath curled near his ear. “Why don't we have a closer look a the monster pretending to be a monkey?”

Wukong feebly pushed at Ink. “Speak for yourself.” He bit out. “That isn’t me!”

Ink grinned before stabbing Wukong in the back of the neck, orange lava-like cracks spreading over his form before flopping off like wet clay. Wukong coughed nearly choking on ash and steam coming from his own throat in shock. “A true Stone Monkey made as hard as a Celestial Diamond from the very Furnace they used to melt you down.” Ink supplied. “You think Macaque would still want to be your mate when he sees this? You are nothing but a walking golem.”

Wukong cried out, collapsing before the mirror. He shook his head in denial, steam drifting from his eyes. “No! That’s not true! None of it is!”

Ink smirked. “Your about as real as a toy soldier Peaches... Just like me. Do you think a living person would want to love a hunk of stone much less one that's as hot as lava?” Ink inquired jabbing at Wukong’s pain riddled thoughts.

“You’re nothing… but a stupid curse… controlled by a petty failure.” Wukong rasped, denying the other. “Macaque does love me!”

“You sure about that? He’s tried to kill both you and your little cub even turned your cubs against you too many times to count. Are you really willing to hand your stone heart over to someone who’d crush it in the blink of an eye for power?” Ink questioned watching as the green tint grew thicker like a plague corrupting Wukong’s thoughts. ‘Soon enough you’ll be seeing hallucinations of those you love dropping you like a hot coal either from disgust or fear of being burned.’ Ink swiftly sunk his teeth that resembled a more feline arrangement then monkey into Wukong’s shoulder leaving his mark of claim on the distressed stone monkey knowing he’d probably have to do it more than once until it became permanent. Wukong screamed as the primordial magic of a demon mating claim seared his shoulder before he slumped over his eyes now a toxic green. Said eyes closed in exhaustion while tanned hands tenderly caressed molten skin. “Your mine now Peaches... Let’s see that emo monkey try to take you from me now.” Ink smugly stated holding the stone monkey closer as the green light of the dragon blood he had coated the arrow in before spread to infect more of Wukong’s very body and soul.

An ink version of Wukong took form grinning with icy blue light followed by a monkey version of Mk. “Capture either the cub or that emo monkey. Nothing too damaging but I still want at least one of them in one piece before Master Azure comes to collect his Treasure.” Ink ordered.

”Dont forget our purpose Plums. We are simply tools to have the stone monkey behave ideally for the alpha lion.” the ink version of Wukong spoke. “Your hogging a lot of the extra power just to give yourself a flesh and blood form.”

“Yeah Baba! You're taking a lot of the fun out of making these sinners atone for those sins they caused!” Ink Mk agreed crossing his arms like he was a pouting child.

Ink simply chuckled. “They will pay in due time sweetheart. No go with your Papa and get those runaways.”

()()()()()

“Tang... How are you even related to Tripitaka?” Macaque questioned with a groan as Mei rubbed the black monkey’s back. Said monkey had ended up puking his guts after the multiple teleports through so many ‘chapters’ of the scroll causing a rather violent clash between his recovering magic and the ‘holy’ magic Tang was brute forcing into very crude spells. At least Tang had yet to bombard Macaque with questions on the cursed crown and the weakly glowing six ears.

Tang shrugged. “Maybe I’m a descendent? Although…. He was an extremely devout Buddhist, so that doesn’t make sense.” The scholar shifted his glasses, looking at the monkey and giving him another shrug. “Beats me.”

“I'm just going to guess reincarnation and keep my head from exploding at that imagery.” Macaque deadpanned as he stood. “You doing alright cub?” Macaque asked Mk who looked to have a thousand-yard stare.

While Tang was preoccupied at the idea of being the reincarnation of the Great Monk and therefore the Golden Fucking Cicada, MK was having his own personal meltdown.

“I don’t. I don’t know.” The young man mumbled, picking at his stolen shirt. “Finding out I might not be human is kinda a lot.”

“You have more in common with me and Pigsy now?” Mei tried to cheer her friend up, earning a tiny smile.

All of a sudden Mk gripped his chest, bright orange cracks spreading from the back of his neck while a sickly green glowing mark appeared on his shoulder. His eyes flickering between gold and purple as the scent of plums and peaches mixed with pears grew overpowering from the teen.

“MK!” The probably not a bug scholar and dragon girl both shouted, reaching for the younger hero.

Macaque’s eyes widened and his jaw went slack as the cracks started to spread. “Oh.” He whispered, tail lashing as the fruity scents filled the air. Then his eyes caught sight and the green mark and he snarled. “Damnit! The manifestation claimed Wukong. We need to go faster.”

“I’m trying but I really don’t know what I’m doing!” Tang snapped, gripping the ringed staff.

“Open his mouth. Mei I need to borrow your sword for a sec.” Macaque stated,

Mei blinked, uncomprehending. “What?”

“Sword now!” Macaque repeated while Tang gently got Mk to lean back and partly open his mouth.

“Okay! Okay! Geez!” She practically tossed her sword at him. “Throw a girl off guard saying something like that.”

Macaque ignored her as he sliced his hand heading over to Mk. “Keep his mouth open and make sure he swallows.” Macaque opened holding his hand over Mk’s mouth and squeezed letting this thick blood flow into the teen’s mouth.

Understanding lit up Tang’s eyes and he nodded, face serious. “Okay.” The human that might also be an insect, massaged the teen’s throat, urging him to swallow. “You gotta swallow, MK.” Tang murmured, squeezing the kid’s hand.

“That’s one of the top twelve grossest things I’ve ever seen.” Mei remarked, watching closely. “Why does he need to drink your blood? Do you have magic blood? I though that was Yin and Jin’s schtick.”

“He’s basically doing the demon equivalent of child adoption Mei,” Tang said. “Monkey King did a similar thing with the staff through a ritual of Proven Worth.”

“Ohhhh. Demon adoption. Cool!” Mei stroked her chin in thought. “Wonder if dragons have something like that. I’m have to ask Uncle.” She looked over at Macaque. “Does this mean you’ve joined the custody battle?”

Tang chuckled, brushing a hand through the shaken MK’s hair. “Pigsy and I adopted MK pretty much the moment we found him. Monkey King put a claim on him after he became the Monkie Kid.”

“that would explain how the kid could produce my magic without much effort,” Macaque stated feeling the cut heal while tossing Mei back her sword. “I suggest you brace for the next part.”

Mei and Tang both looked over at the immortal with confused stares. MK just gagged and shoved his face into Tang’s chest. “Why would that help with your powers?” Mei asked, slowly backing away from MK.

Orange cracks pulse once before glowing a bright purple and bursting ou in a mixture of white, gold, and orange shards. A long monkey tail curled around Mk’s legs while two sets of lotus ears twitch on the teen’s head colored a bright gold that faced to a sunset purple color with a soft orange glow. Mk groaned letting out chirps and whines at his new hearing.

A bright golden sphere covered Tang before the teen’s transformation hit. The bespectacled scholar gaped at his son, before chuckling. “Now he really is a monkey kid.” He hugged the boy. “You okay?”

MK covered his ears with a wince. “Maybe? I don’t know. Everything is so much louder now. Is that a tail?!” He gaped at his new appendage.

“Awww! You look so cute!” Mei gasped, hearts in her eyes. “Look at your pretty ears!”

Macaque simply chuckled before his smile changed in a snap second as he was in front of the kid holding a black arrow dripping in a sickly green substance. Macaque snarled his tail puffed up like a cat’s. “Dragon blood.”

Mei stiffened, color draining from her face. Tang helped MK to his feet, the two looking around wildly. “We need to move on.” Tang whispered, gripping his staff. The teen snagged Mei’s hand, holding it tightly. “And I think I have an idea where Pigsy might be.”

“Get us there quickly. We need to lose who's following us.” Macaque all but ordered. Tang nodded, banging his staff into the ground once. A large golden bubble surrounded them and they vanished. They appeared near a swamp one Macaque was vaguely familiar with. “This is the pig’s chapter. The shack should be down the road from here. Tang, try not to get kidnapped like the monk was.” Macaque stated curling his tail around Mk’s.

“Great.” Tang sarcastically replied, shaking his head.

Mei gripped MK’s hand, face blank as she stared down at the ground. MK glanced at her before turning to Macaque. “So I’m up to four Dad’s now?” He said lightheartedly, trying to lift the mood. The young man kept giving his tail uncertain looks. “And a monkey?”

“You were always a monkey Kid. Just hidden under a very powerful glamor that you've been subconsciously keeping running. You really are a lot like Sunshine with that stuff.” Macaque stated glaring at the arrow in his hand. “When we are done I'm burning this scroll to ashes.”

“Wait. Wait. Wait. Back it up. What do you mean I’ve always been a monkey? I’ve never looked like this before!” MK protested, ears pressing back against his head in distress.

Mei also glared at the arrow, eyes flicking a furious green. Tang gave the younger two a worried look before turning his gaze to the swamp.

“Kid, did Sunshine ever tell you how the four Celestial Primates were born?” Macaque asked before bopping Mei in the nose. “Calm your mind cub. There is a difference between this blood and yours. For one this is from a dragon that was sick, very sick, and had died. Unlike your lineage, some dragons don't decompose, instead, they become petrified while their blood becomes similar to a very powerful drug. It causes hallucinations and makes whoever gets it in their bloodstream docile and unable to use magic. You are immune to it as your own dragon blood would cancel it out immediately.” Macaque more or less info dumped on the dragon teen as he tossed the arrow into the swamp. “Walk and talk, we ned to keep moving.”

“The four what’s it now?” MK mumbled, clinging to his older friend. Mei shrugged helplessly as she tried to process the new information. The two teens trailed behind Tang who had already started walking.

“The four Celestial Primate of Stone, Wind, Fire, and Water.” Tang supplied. “Sun Wukong is obviously the Primate of Stone and Macaque is the Primate of Wind. According to the stories Macaque was born from the energy of wind, shadows, and moonlight in the body of a ten year old monkey demon with the power to hear the past present and future while later gaining the ability to manipulate metal.” Tang explained in his teaching mode that helped calm the teens.

Macaque gave the scholar a perplexed look. “Yes, that’s-how did you know that? Almost no one knows about that.” Mei and MK were giving him wide eyed stares of awe.

“That. Is. So cool!” Mei exclaimed, bouncing in excitement. MK nodded his head quickly, ears flapping as he grinned. Macaque resisted the urge to cover his face.

“You’d be surprised what you’d find in old manuscripts of the original journey and it's demons,” Tang smirked. “It also helped that Mk brought me to Monkey King’s vault where he kept a rather thick book on your powers and abilities. Even had pictures.”

Macaque gave the human a double take. “Wukong has a- pictures?” Then he slowly turned to level a blank look at the bashful teen. “You took him into the vault?” A thought hit the immortal and he whipped back to Tang. “Did he seriously include the part about my age?” He hissed, ears flaring out in embarrassment fury. The immortal crossed his arms, grumbling to himself. “Of all the stupid. Idiot king. Rocks for brains.”

Mei snicker, elbowing MK. “Looks like Old Monkey King wrote a book about his ex.” MK giggled, jumping on her back.

He easily kept his balance as his tail automatically stretched out to compensate. “Why would your age matter anyway? Your thousands of years old anyway aren't you?” Mk questioned.

Macaque huffed, ears turning a soft pink. “Cause that idiot loves to lord over the fact that he was born fully grown and I was formed as a child.” He wasn’t pouting. Absolutely not. No matter how much the two teens giggled at him. He admits nothing.

“I see the house!” Tang interrupted, pointing down the road. “Think we’re like ten minutes away.”

“Good.” Macaque nodded.

“Oh and your wrong about Monkey king being fully formed. He was a newborn cub he grew into an adult over the next few days.” Tang added.

Macaque froze and slowly turned towards the human. “He was what?” The immortal hissed, tail lashing. “That sneaky little-”

“Were here!” Tang cut him off. He sniffed the air frowning. “Looks like the scroll couldn't smother Pigsy’s love of cooking and adapted for it.”

MK interjected. “Wait. So Monkey King went from baby to adult in a few days. You were ten and had to grow up. Why was I five?” He pouted, crossing his arms as Tang looked around for Pigsy.

Macaque shrugged. “Beats me, kiddo. Everyone is a bit different.” He covered his nose, resisting the urge to hurl. “This smells nothing like the chef’s cooking.” Mei nodded, looking slightly green.

Tang covered his node as well. “One theory was that his power forced him into an adult body to properly regulate his output and input of energy. As the monkey of Stone his connection to the very earth is almost second nature but with the down side of having very powerful abilities and no control as a newborn.” Tang explained. “You guys stay out here, I've got a chief to talk to.” Tang entered the shack leaving the teens and monkey outside.

“Is that a wise idea?” Mei whispered to MK as the older man entered the building.

“He’ll be fiiiine.” MK assured her, giving her a thumbs up. He turned to the older monkey. “You were talking about celestial monkeys or something?”

“Celestial Primates.” Macaque corrected. He motioned his hand to the shack’s wall bending the shadows into all too familiar puppets. “Each primate was created by a god from a higher realm, much higher than the Jade Emperor’s heavenly court. From what I know each of us was carved from out very elements and placed in elemental ‘eggs’ to gather the energy then hatch in an according form.” Macaque explained.

“Higher than the Jade Emperor? Like the Buddhas and Bottisatva’s?” Mei asked, surprising the two monkeys.

“They were created by someone? Why?” MK asked, tilting his head.

“To balance the power between the Diyu and Heaven while acting as buffers in the mortal realm to increases in magic that could be deadly to mortals.” Macaque replied.

“Whaaaa?” Both teens tilted their heads, not understanding.

Macaque pinched the bridge of his nose. “Did either of you take Demon History 101 courses in school?”

MK shook his head. “It was only required for demons at my school, so I took Art 101.”

Mei scratched the back of her head. “I took it like five years ago and I really only paid attention to the dragon parts. Even then I think that lesson focused almost entirely on Monkey King then shifted to the Journey.”

“Of course it did... This is why Sunshine always left me doing the teaching...” Macaque muttered before he sighed dismissing the puppets. “Since we are stuck here, Kid try summoning a shadow staff. We're going to do a crash course on my abilities so you are familiar with them and not calling them up on instinct.”

“Uhhh. Okay. I can do that. Probably.” MK shuffled his feet, nearly stepping on his tail. He held out a hand, eyes focused on it intently. After a long moment of nothing happening, he glanced over at Macaque. “How do I do that, exactly?”

“Imagine a staff rising from your shadow but as an extension of yourself.” Macaque supplied.

“Yeah. Cause that makes sense.” The teen grumbled, ears twitching when his tail nearly smacks Mei in the face. MK focused on his shadow, imagining a purple version of his staff raising from the shadow. His shadow glowed but beyond that nothing happened. “Why do I even need a shadow staff? I have Monkey King’s.” He glared at his shadow. Mei just sat down next to the two monkeys, content to watch.

“In case your staff gets taken again. Only you can use a shadow staff made from your own shadows plus it prevents it from being stolen.” Macaque pointed out.

MK huffed, but couldn’t think of any arguments. “Fine. Fine.” He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. The teen held a hand over his shadow and focused. The shadow glowed purple again, only this time a shadowy replica of his staff started to rise. Mei perked up, watching intently. MK gripped the shadow and pulled it out the rest of the way. “Ha! I did it!” Then it vanished. “Noooo!” He cried, throwing up his hands in exaggerated defeat.

“Not bad, you didn't have enough power in it to keep it’s shape.” Macaque smirked, his body language coming off as being a very proud parent especially with his wagging tail. “Try again.”

Mei covered her giggles as she quietly took pictures of the two monkeys. “Monkey King will love these.” She whispered, saving them to her MK Dad Squad folder.

“Okay. More power. I can do that!” MK hyped himself up. He raised his hand again, staring intently at his shadow. Once again the staff started for form and he grabbed it. After a moment he beamed, looking over at Macaque with his tail swinging happily behind him. “I did it!” He cheered. However the moment he stopped focusing on the staff it started to vanish again. “Nonono!” He stuck out his tongue as he tried to keep it solid.

They continued the impromptu lesson until Tang came out with Pigsy who looked a little dazed. “Hope I didn't take too long?” Tang asked.

“Nope! Mac has been teaching Mk to summon a shadow staff. If Mk keeps this up he could start duel-welding the Monkey Staff and the Shadow Staff at the same time!” Mei exclaimed.

MK seemed to perk up at the thought. “Think I could hold one with the tail?”

“Tail?!” Pigsy snapped out of his daze and stomped over to MK. “Kid! What happened?! How did? Where did? Monkey?” The pig started patting the teen down, closely examining his ears, tail, and fur. “Are ya hurting anywhere?”

“I’m fine, Dadsy.” MK mumbled, as the chef looked at his new monkey teeth. The pig just clicked his tongue.

“I’m going to have words with that mentor of yours when we find him.” Pigsy promised.

Macaque chuckled. “Actually… it’s not Wukong’s fault this time. MK’s a Celestial Primate. He’s just not using a glamour anymore.”

Tang nodded, supporting the immortal. “Turns out random small children covered in dirt are actually mythical monkey babies in disguise.”

“Surprise?” MK watched the pig, a slightly fearful look in his eyes.

Pigsy stared at him before huffing and ruffling the teens hair. “This doesn’t get you outta work.”

”looks like we caught up to the runaway.”

Macaque met Tang’s eyes. “Tang!” The scholar quickly slammed down the staff, summoning a golden bubble.

”Not this time!” an arrow broke through the bubble as two ink monkeys landed before the group. ”You really want to give us problems Plums? You're only going to end up back at the Palace unconscious.”

The small group gawked at the two. “It’s like looking into a gross, gooey mirror.” MK shouted, pointing at the Ink version of himself.

“You’re much prettier, MK!” Mei agreed, hyping up her bestie. She pointed her sword at them. “Give us back our friends!”

The ink version of Wukong simply looked at her unimpressed. ”why would I want to do that? You know the story but do you know the truth? Even Plums here only knows the bare minimum.”

The ink version of Mk simply grinned. “should we try out the new ability Pa?”

Ink Wukong simply nodded tossing a thick lava orsge charge of energy to the smaller ink creature. They absorbed it grinning as color bled into their being. In contrast to the real Mk the ink version has a dark blue mask on his face with chocolate brown fur with a white and silver streak. Bright green eyes brightened in chaotic glee. “I really take after Baba in taking a flesh and blood form.” Ink Mk chuckled.

Macaque growled, summoning his staff. “We’ll buy you time, Tang. MK! Mei!” The two nodded and brandished their weapons. Pigsy placed himself in front of the human, hands gripping his new rake.

”Shrink.” Ink Wukong started as he also absorbed the energy and his was the most drastic change. Silver fur, blood red pupils in black eyes, a blood red mask that looked more like a two leaves and stem then a heart with a blue outline.

Macaque looked between the two, evaluating which one was the stronger opponent. “Mei. MK. Take Ink MK. I’ll take the fake Wukong.” Mei burst forward with a loud whoop, quickly followed by MK. Macaque gripped his staff and shot forward towards the Ink Wukong.

The Ink Wukong easily caught the staff scowling slightly before seeing Macaque’s twitch of pain. “Still too lose? That can be fixed.”

Macaque chuckled, glaring at the ink demon. “Do yourself a favor and stop talking. I know you probably love to hear the sound of your own voice, but no one else does.” He sank into a shadow and circled the demon.

Meanwhile Mei and MK and Ink MK were all three wildly trying to hit each other amidst loud screaming. Most of the screaming was from Mei, accompanied by small bursts of flames.

“Ouch! Hey! Keep your flames from my tail!” Ink Mk growled before pouncing on Mei and getting into a wrestling match with her.

“Uh-uh! Fake best friends don’t get fire protection!” Mei shot back, rolling around on the ground with the ink monster while MK watched for a moment. He grinned at the girl, holding back a warm laugh.

“Ha! What kind of friend runs away after becoming a ball of fire?” Ink Mk countered.

“Big words from someone that isn’t even real!” Mei fired back, nawwing at Ink MK’s arm.

“Eww. Mei! It’s made of ink! That’s so gross!” MK gagged at the thought of any of that entering his mouth.

Ink Mk hissed like a pissed-off cat screeching at Mei before golden power enveloped Mei and Mk the two teens popped over to Tang with Macaque appearing as the group vanished in a bright flash of gold.

MK and Mei reoriented themselves, looking over at the older adults. “Nice job, Tangman! The Tangster!” MK hugged the older man.

“Good job you two.” Macaque raised a hand to the circlet with a wince. He tried to shake it off and turned to the chef and scholar. “Where are we, Tang?”

Pigsy narrowed his eyes and crossed his arms. “And why are you in charge here? Where’s Monkey King?”

“Caged.” Macaque bluntly stated as something warm rolled down his face with a sharp spike of pain.

Tang nervously spoke up. “Macaque, your forehead is… bleeding.”

Macaque frowned at the large worried eyes of all the mortals. He raised a hand to the circlet and touched it. The circlet was slowly, but surely shrinking. When he pulled his fingers away they were covered in blood. “Damnit. There’s no time to worry about that. We have to find Sandy and get back to Wukong.”

“This is what Monkey King had to deal with?” Mk softly questioned.

“Worse. The sutra was longer and hastened the tightening curse. This one looks to be modified to tighten with a keyword and slowly continue unless more keywords are spoken.” Macaque deduced ripping off more fabric from his scarf and trying it around the band to hopefully prevent more blood from falling down his face and worrying the rest of the group.

Pigsy frowned but moved hit attention to the teens. “You two okay?”

“We’re fine, Dadsy.” MK assured.

“Let's get moving. We have to get Sandy and Moe before those ink knockoffs try to get us again.” Tang said before giving a sharp look at the teens. “The next fight with the ink teen better be serious and not just a play fight. Don't think I didn't notice the difference!” Tang warned the two teens.

Macaque gave his own glare at the two teens. “Seeing as Pigsy now has a weapon you’ll have someone to spar with Mei. Be warned Kid I'm not going to hold back in spars if you don't take your fights seriously.” Macaque directed the last bit of his statement to Mk.

Pigsy smacked the back of Mei and MK’s head. “Don’t play around when we’re trapped in a weird magic scroll!” He scolded, crossing his arms.

“Sorry.” Both teens hung their heads in shame.

The pond the group neared rippled turning black before it looked like a large tv screen with a scowling snow-white monkey in the reflection. ”So you managed to evade Wu and our little cub, Luier.” the white monkey snarked with a glare. ”then I guess you’ve forced my hand.” The white monkey stepped to the side showing what was directly behind him bound to a thick pole with a basket muzzle around his mouth was none other then Wukong but he looked far different then normal with lava skin, magma veins, and a sickly green coloring spreading from his chest and eyes. His left shoulder leaked lava like blood from a bite mark while thin glowing letters circled around the bite.

The group gasped, staring at the captive king. Macaque jerked forward. “Wukong!” His ears pressed against his skull as he took in the sight of his other half.

MK pointed his staff at the lake. “What did you do to him!?”

“Give us back the monkey man!” Mei growled, brandishing her sword.

”Simply broke that flesh and blood illusion over his being. A being of the Primordial Elements. A little bit of dragon blood and a bite of claiming.” the white monkey replied. ”too bad he never did get the Eternal Flames.” Wukong jerked before he started screaming convulsing in pain while black lightning arched between the silver metals on his limbs, lava-like blood dripping down his head from the bronze crown below the silver one the bronze color returning to a bright gold as it grew in power.

Pigsy held back MK while the kid growled, glowing a faint gold. “Let him go!”

Macaque felt a fury growing inside him. Eyes flashing purple, he stepped forward. “How dare you!”

”You forced my hands Liuer.” The white monkey simply smirked before the pond returned to normal. Macaque snarled in anger his claws digging into his palms in anger while his powers spiked at the instinctual rage of seeing Wukong in such distress. Thin purple cracks curling like wind through Macaque’s skin disrupted by thin white moons and dark golden lightning bolts. The very air around Macaque became electrified with power that was building to breaking point in the black monkey. The other four glanced between each other and the furious monkey. Tang nudged MK towards the older monkey.

“Macaque?” The teen hesitantly stepped up next to the immortal. Macaque locked solid glowing white eyes with the teen. Faintly Mk could see Macaque’s pupils but they were hidden under the power threatening to burst from the monkey’s ‘mortal’ body. MK slowly placed a hand on Macaque’s shoulder. “We’ll save him.” The boy softly assured the other, giving him an encouraging smile. “It’s what we do.”

Mei nodded, pumping her fist. “That creep won’t even know what hit him!”

The power slowly bled out before the black monkey passed out getting caught by the teen while thin silver scars decorated Macaque’s skin and fur from the cracks being stopped before Macaque’s power overpowered his body.

“This is just great!” Pigsy grumbled, stomping over to the two monkeys. “Idiot monkeys. Not you, MK. The two senile ones.”

MK just hefted the monkey over his shoulder. “I’m sure he’ll be fine! We still need to find Sandy and Mo.”

“That's the first time I've seen Mac with white eyes...” Mei noted. “What the hell was with the cracks?! He looked ready to explode just like you did Mk!” Mei pointed out.

“I think Macaque might have tapped into the beginnings of his very elemental power...” Tang answered. “We saw Monkey King as a being of literal Stone. As Monkey King’s literal Elemental Opposite and Balance Macaque would only need to see Monkey King in his elemental form before acting to Balance out their powers.”

MK shuffled in place. “Does that mean I’ll turn into something like that?” His voice was small as he looked over at the older man.

“No Mk. You likely weren't made like Monkey King and Macaque to balance the power of nature. Let's get moving, we got a monkey to rescue and a friend to ‘wake up’.” Tang replied.

Mei slung an arm over Tang’s shoulder. “Yeah! Let’s go save Sandy and Monkey King!”

Pigsy ruffled MK’s hair. “Let’s go, kid.”

The group quickly made their way to the river the blue-skinned demon was supposed to be waiting for Tripitaka to arrive at. They stopped a moment to rearrange Macaque to rest on Mk’s back piggyback style. Subconsciously Macaque had wrapped his tail around Mk’s waist while deep low purring sounds sent feelings of protection and safety through the newly minted monkey teen.

MK chirped happily then immediately blushed when the others looked over at him. “Don’t mind me. Just monkeying around?”

Mei snickered. “Alright Monkie Man!”

“What could you be monkeying around with him unconscious?” Pigsy demanded with a raised brow.

MK chuckled nervously. “I dunno. He’s like purring and it made me chirp! I’ve been a monkey for like ten minutes. I don’t know what I’m doing!” He pouted, glaring down at the river.

Tang reached over and patted his head. “You are doing great, MK. It’s not everyday you suddenly get a tail and two new ears and a weird birthmark on your face and-“

“Thank you, Tang!” MK snapped, rolling his eyes. “Thank you for reminding me.”

“I thought that was just his monkey mask coming in?” Mei questioned.

“Wait, there’s something on my face too?” MK groaned, running a hand down his face. “Is it at least cool like Macaque’s or adorable like Monkey King’s?”

Pigsy gave the kid a deadpan stare. “Seriously, kid?”

“Mixed. It kind of looks like a butterfly but its color is a mix of theirs like a sunset orange?” Mei answered.

MK grinned. “Oh that sounds awesome! Take a picture! Let me see! Let me see!” Mei quickly snapped a picture and showed the other teen. “Woah!”

True enough his face mask did look like it was shaped to mimic a butterfly with a sunset orange taking most of the center with a deep red at the top and a softer peach color at the bottom like a gradient effect of two colors blending in harmony.

Tang looked around nervously. “This is the area where the great Monk and Monkey King met Sha Wujing. So Sandy should be around here somewhere.”

“Mrow.” came an all too familiar meow of a cat.

Mei gasped. “Mo! Hey buddy!” The girl picked up the cat, setting him on her head. “Thats one blue friend down!”

“Only one more to go!” MK cheered, tail flicking happily.

Moe patted Mei’s head and pointed to Tang’s staff motioning to tap it to the ground.

Out of any other ideas, Tang gently tapped his staff. Another golden bubble covered everyone and they vanished once again.

The group appeared in a cavern high above while a group of three demons talked down below. A blue lion demon, a white elephant demon, and a white eagle demon. “You know the plan, once we secure our victory over heaven slip the poison into Mihou’s wine and the drug in Wukong’s.” the blue lion spoke.

“Are we sure this poison is even strong enough to kill that simian? He’s as hard to kill as the immortal king.” the eagle questioned.

“I did the calculations and brewing myself, Peng. Luier Mihou will be dead by sunrise once he ingests the wine after the battle. Not even his powers will help detoxify the poison in time before he rots from the inside out. As for the drug, Wukong will end up forced into a feral heat. Said heat will force his body to shapeshift to accommodate in order to be mated and bare cubs just as you wanted Azure. You will have to keep giving him the drug until his very identity as Monkey King is burned away to allow his mind to take up the role of Empress when you become Emperor.” the white elephant stated.

The group of mortals gawked at the scene, horrified. Tang covered his mouth. Pigsy placed a hand on the scholar’s shoulder.

Mei snarled, gripping her sword tightly. “That conniving, lying, son of a bitch.” She hissed, glaring at the lion.

Mk on the other hand couldn't believe his ears that picked up the very heart beats of the three down below. None of them were lying. Mk felt sick but more than that rage bubbled in his chest while his mind went into overdrive Protect Mama! Protect Protect! Protect! Protect Baba! shouted a small part of himself that sounded like an angry monkey cub with flashes of Wukong and Macaque in his head.

A pained groan pulled MK from his murderous thoughts. “Ow.” Macaque grumbled, pressing a hand to his head. “The hell was that?”

“You tapped into your literal element of wind?” Mk supplied in a soft whisper.

“Good. Mihou has been a blockade in my attempts to court Wukong. Once Mihou is no more Wukong will be my Empress.” Azure promised.

“At the very least let me have his corpse, Brother. I could use a new fur pelt for my collection.” Peng grinned as best as his beak would allow. “I hear monkey meat is a delicacy when cooked correctly.”

“I what?” Macaque’s ears flicked towards the three demons below them. “When-where are we?” He frowned at the others. “What’s the brotherhood doing here? We need to find Sandy.”

“Moe had us travel here. We’ll explain what we heard when we get out of here.” Mei shushed him as Tang Hasilty tapped his power and the group fell into a dried riverbed with bones littering in piles all around them, a large ring made of done and rope stood out with Sandy standing in its center waiting for a challenger.

MK set Macaque back on his feet. “Alright. What happened?” The immortal looked over the group, satisfied to see everyone unharmed.

“Azure Lion-“ MK started before Tang jumped on his back speaking quickly.

“You old brotherhood was plotting to kill you and drug Wukong to force him to bare Azure Lion’s children!” The scholar blurted out. MK nodded, a low growl building in his chest.

Macaque closed his eyes crossed his arms and took a breath. “Pigsy... How well lf a hit can Sandy take?” Macaque asked the pig demon. “I need to hit something before I start breaking trees.”

Pigsy stared at the immortal then glanced over at Sandy. “Uh. He’s the toughest guy I know. Can take a pretty good hit.”

“He stopped a jet with his hand once!” Mei added, nodding with MK. “And didn’t he also stop your mech at one point?”

“I think so...” Mk thought frowning while trying to recall if Sandy had stopped his monkey mech.

“Good enough,” Macaque stated before turning towards the arena his form shimmered before he was a few inches shorter with golden fur, a back, and a yellow shirt with a tiger pelt around his hips and long, black claws digging into his palms as he jumped into the arena.

“So, you're the river demon I've heard so much about?” Macaque questioned in a flawless copy of Wukong’s voice down to even the cocky tone.

Sha Wujing stared down at the monkey. “What do you think you’re doing, monk? Challenging me! If you’ve heard of me then you have heard of how I capture and eat any that come to my river!” The large river demon’s eyes flashed and the skulls around his neck glowed.

“I've heard of you... Yet you don't seem to have ever heard of me. So I think it's fair game.” Macaque grinned before he pounced landing the first blow hard to the stomach of the blue river demon.

Sha Wujing braced himself and bellowed. “You call that a punch? The rush of the river hit harder than that, little ape! Take this!” The water demon started throwing quick blows towards Macaque.

Macaque easily blocked and evaded them before making the power of his punches no longer holding himself back.

Wujing grinned as the fight continued. “I see you are a skilled fighter! Not many have been able to give me a challenge!” He cracked his neck, skulled glowing ominously. “I have not added any monkey skulls to my collection. Perhaps you’ll be the first!”

“I won't be.” Macaque stated.

Mei leaned over to MK. “Hey you ten bucks, Macaque ends the fight in five minutes.”

MK scoffed. “I give him two.”

“Deal.” The two quietly shook on it while Tang and Pigsy sighed.

Mei silently took out her phone and hit the stopwatch while Moe watched from her head content to let Sandy stretch and to give Macaque time to calm down from finding out what Azure had planned so long ago.

Wujing started speeding up, punching and kicking the monkey. Macaque rolled his eyes with a grin. “Come on, big guy. Is that all you got?” Wujing laughed darkly.

“Dont die at my full strength.” he warned before throwing a punch Macaque easily stopped with a yawn.

“Let me know when you use your full strength.” The monkey teased, pushing back the water demon.

The river demon was shocked. “You.. Survived that punch...”

“Surprise.” Macaque snickered, twisting around and kicking the demon. “As much fun as this has been, we need Sandy back.”

Tang perked up. “You have to remind him of who he is!”

“Simple enough. Moe.” Macaque called for the cat who leaped into Sandy’s arms blue energy swirled around the river demon before bursting out.

“Moe!” Sandy shouted and nuzzled the therapy cat close.

“Awww!” Mei, Tang, and MK cooed.

“Tang, get us to flower fruit mountain,” Macaque ordered dropping the illusion of Wukong.

“You know... It never occurred to me but is Monkey King shorter than Mac?” Mei question Mk.

“I thought they were the same height.” Mk honestly answered he knew Wukong was easily six foot even, taller than most average people while being as flexible as an acrobat with the power of a Kung Fu master.

Tang chimed in. “In the original texts, Monkey King was described as a short monkey demon.”

“Who cares?” Pigsy grumbled. “Does it matter?”

“It kind of does when you thing of it. Are the larger monkeys usually the ones in charge?” Mei questioned.

“I am not getting in the systematics on demon mating right now,” Macaque replied flicking his ears. “We're about to have company.”

“We can gossip about which monkey is the top later.” MK rolled his eyes. “We have to get Monkey King back first.”

Macaque simply pinched the bridge of his nose. ‘Now I know how Peaches feels while trying to warn Tripitaka and simply being ignored.’

“Sorry, Macaque.” The two teens giggled.

The black monkey sighed before something similar to getting Deja Vu passed through his body his ears flickering at the complete silence around him. He couldn't even hear the hearts of the very two kids right in front of him before he recalled one of the more obscure powers he had. ‘Premonitions of the future.’ He thought. ‘Is this... An enhanced vision of what would happen if Wukong sends me away to protect the kids?’ Macaque realized.

‘I won't let this future become reality!’

#fanfiction #lmk au #lego monkie kid #shadowpeach #amwriting #cowrite #sun wuking x macaque #monkey mk #cursed scroll #monkie kid mei #monkie kid pigsy #lmk tang

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fumifooms · 25 days

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Dungeon lord Chilchuck

What would his wish as a dungeon lord be? What would he be like? Headcanons & speculation post for fun. But I’ll start with analytic lead up because that’s always fun for me, though feel free to skip and skim.

When it comes to what Chilchuck’s dungeon lord desires could/would be like we have mainly 3 hints: His nightmare, his succubus and what the winged lion says to him.

Why: — From what we see nightmares are based on the person’s worst fears and insecurities, both Laios’ and Marcille’s nightmare were closely tied to their dungeon lord wishes (Laios’ dream monster being summoned to crush the ghosts of relationships that represented the pressure to fit in and belong, Marcille seeking control over death and aging through magic to avoid loss), the fuel behind their desire/goal if you will. Fear and deep-seated desires are seemingly closely tied, something also supported by Thistle and Mithrun’s reigns as dungeon lords (Thistle proving his worth through fulfilling his given duty + protecting his loved ones, being listened to instead of having to listen, Mithrun escaping rigid two-faced elven society and living in a wonderland where he has no enemies and he’s loved, free from everyone he knew yet propped up by the person symbolizing his brother being chosen over him, the bastard child).

— I’ve talked about the significance I assign to the succubi often by now, but rundown: What we see of each character is all very telling if you care to listen, it shows not only someone’s "ideal form" but what they want from it. Izutsumi’s is familial, offering a hug and comfort, Marcille’s is romantic with a character she knows and loves, offering a kiss on a hand and a connection regardless of how distant it actually is, and Laios’ is platonic, arguable at first but then Laios’ fear of judgement is placated and he is offered the picture perfect friend group that accepts his interest (if you want my full look at Laios’ succubus go here). They take on the most alluring form, most ideal person of their victim, even uncovering deep subconscious desires, so precisely and effectively to the point it leaves victims physically frozen before the object of their desire. Succubi and the demon are themselves tied in lore and it’s easy to see how similar their core skill are. Succubi don’t give a good idea of what a character would wish for on their own but they certainly give hints on what they crave, regardless of how you want to read it.

— Last bit is self-explanatory. To placate Chilchuck and win his compliance over, the monster that reads your soul like an open book offers to give him something specific. But! It’s also important to remember that the lion isn’t offering to fulfill Chilchuck’s dream world wish here, it’s a second prize, because his goal with what he promised Laios is that they’d stay in this world, away from everyone and everything else. Chilchuck wants to get away but is kept back, and it’s here the lion placates him with "hey it’s okay! You can’t do that but I can still give you this! This is enough right? It’ll make everything easier on you".

What each bit says: — Long version in another post. Tldlr: His daughters and family are obviously important to him, and this reinforces that he takes on the role of protector a lot, he’s constantly worried for his party members’ lives and implicitly his family’s. Safety and stability, both economical and otherwise, are his core values and goals, and he berates both others and himself if someone fails on those fronts. Here, there’s the fear of not being enough, of not having been able to protect, and of course of loss.

— Chil’s succubi are obviously sexual, and not only that but agressively and straightforwardly so. It’s not like Marcille’s where there’s personality involved, all they do is give him sultry looks and pretty smiles before jumping on him. His succubi aren’t like Izutsumi’s, always the same exact person and appearance, so it’s not someone but an appealing general idea. The idea of a sexual being he can regard as simply a gorgeous piece of meat and a good time no strings attached. In my interpretation, especially with my reading of Laios’ succubus where even with deep-seated desires negative emotions can be too intense to effectively freeze a victim, I think this doesn’t contradict his character. Relationships have been painful to him in the past, in the succubus scene when his wife gets mentioned his immediate reaction is to yell "Don’t bring her up now!", like with his habit of drinking and as a tallman liking his senses feeling dulled, it’s about not having to feel emotions with how difficult they are to deal with sometimes and just feeling good, or at least not having to think, for a while. If a succubus showcases someone’s ideal connection with an ideal person, then Chilchuck’s is with a pretty person that doesn’t stir any negative memory or drama, someone low stakes and low maintenance that doesn’t require him to manage or talk out feelings because there’s none involved in the first place.

— Once more, wife and family are important! He does long for his family, not only his wife but his daughters, and vice versa. This suggests not only that he wants good relationships with them but that he wants them to be with him, a family life. Far from the cut communication they all more of less have during canon, and perhaps far from their life pre-canon when he worked away from home a significant amount of time. We’ve seen recreations of people by the winged lion before with doppelgangers and monsters (naga), and though he claims he can make satisfying imitations, what we’ve seen is that they base themselves on the best memories of that person, like with Marcille’s dad, or twist behavior to be more pleasant, like Mithrun’s lover (and possibly twist appearances depending on the person’s view of them, but that’s Mithrun analysis). The line does suggest Chilchuck would want his family members as they are in reality and not idealized versions, but the circumstances are chaotic and urgent enough in the scene (and again the lion isn’t fulfilling Chilchuck’s wish but trying to make him content for Laios’) that it could just be the winged lion saying what he needs to to convince him the fastest possible, and like we see with Laios that can crumble to give way to deeper or more complex desires.

On top of that we just have general info on Chil. How does Chilchuck deal w his issues? What does he like to do? He likes alcohol and ignoring his problems. We have to remember there is a split between what someone would consciously wish for and what their soul uncontrollably irrationally craves. As always with Dunmeshi, there’s a narrative of irrational deep-seated desires vs active wants, what you crave vs what you strive for, what you dream of vs what’s actually good for you, the animal vs the human inside you, heart vs mind. Chilchuck craving a harem of hot babes in his fantasies but wanting his family life & wife back again is not mutually exclusive. You may crave becoming a monster and tasting what humans are like a little but still want to save the world & your friends more.

Btw can we adress the irony of him terrified of being the last one alive, of being left by his daughters and wife, of having left and coming back home one day to see everything gone or rampaged, yet not caring about dying of liver failure himself, knowing every time that he enters a dungeon there’s a real risk he may not come out. Die somewhere I can’t see you. I prefer leaving you than being left behind. He’s selfish and shortsighted like that… Chilchuck is selfless in many ways of course, but perhaps also due to his own relationship with his parents, he often undermines the effects he has on others in his relationships, both the good and the bad (he talks himself down about being cowardly and greedy yes, but never hints at his bad health habits, alcoholism and starving himself, may have affected his loved ones, doesn’t question his wife falling into a bad mood the night before she left, and talks about the possibility of dying here and there very casually, though obviously he tries his best to stay alive when it doesn’t concern his health).

Chilchuck king of "Let me just avoid and ignore my problems surely they’ll go away, things might work out and if they don’t well tough luck I’ll survive and I probably deserve it anyways". If I don’t look at it it will dissapear <3 Why care when you can simply not think about it.

You might not understand Mister "my love will stay strong through months of work travel and also 4 years of separation" and Mister "well idk my siblings and me are kinda strangers and my dad is dead but that’s kinda whatever", but typically relationships need some form of maintenance and emotional availability…

The actual headcanons finally

I kinda have 2 routes in mind for dunlord Chil and both of them are centered on "I care too much, i wish things were easy", so first is a lot like his succubi, it’s full on indulging in his guilty pleasures like alcohol and bodies and it’s to keep him in a constant state of thrill and euphoria and distracted, unfeeling about stuff that really matters. "Nothing matters except that I’m enjoying the moment!" vibe. He gets to live a life worthy of Dionysus, with alcohol and women and debauchery and like— never having to think again, never having to feel anything but pleasure again, never have to feel guilty or shitty or angry or sad. He has a harem and gets everything on a silver platter.

Breaking news demon magic-induced rush of euphoria and power still not enough to cure this man of his self-hatred nor his capacity for thought!! But in his case a state of euphoria is what he seeks I think, to kinda mask or replace the Everything Else.

The other is what I think closer to what canon suggests, with what WL implied too with "I’ll make you a new wife and kids like the originals!! 😊", it’s a (spoilers) Wandavision type thing where it’s a slice of life where he’s never at work and always at home and the family eats lunches at the dinner table together and everything and everyone at any moment is just. Happy. No issues. It was all a dream, this is real and everything is fine and your family is perfect and happy. I like to think the timeline would be wonky, his daughters would fluctuate in age, but he’d want to be there for what he missed, would want them to still rely on him and look up to him like when they were young, would like to forget that they’re now independent adults and the distance that grew between Chilchuck and his siblings is happening between them as well. Chil would want doppelgangers of his family imo, at its core just a general wish for a peaceful happy family life with no drama, no need to compromise, a little paradise of unconditional love and no consequences. It’s for sure straightforward, but Chilchuck is a man with straightforward desires…

But see Chilchuck is a greedy man, and he wants it both ways without having to sacrifice anything or expanding any efforts himself. He wants to have his cake and eat it too. I think playing with these two opposite directions and mixing and matching is most fun. Him leading a life where he indulges in all his worst habits while still having everything he wants… Him getting to have BOTH his wife and any woman he can imagine up, his life like two sides of a coin he can flip at any moment where he’s partying then he’s at home enjoying the quiet and his toddler daughters playing with toys on the carpet. Christ when you remember it’s all an illusion that’s terrifying, the doppelgangers and succubi from the winged lion playing chilchuck ping pong.

A safe little haven both security-stability wise and emotionally. Gets to have both the relaxing and the thrilling in any dose he wants, mixed or separatedly. What I’d argue he had pre-canon too: Can live it up in taverns away from home, stays away from home for long periods of time, and can come back to home aka the symbol of relaxation and safety whenever he decides to. Something he can leave and come back to at will, an anchor he can trust in (until it’s taken from him and his wife leaves. Or in his worse nightmare people rush in and kill his daughters). The ideal of a house and family to a working man, perhaps…

I think it’s fun to think on wether or not these desires would be interesting at all to the winged lion… In canon he seeks out "rare/complex desires", common simple things like I imagine riches, sex, substances and pleasure would be are boring to him, he’s eaten those so many times already. So perhaps he wouldn’t last long as a dunlord, the WL would want to eat him fully quick, can’t keep him interested or waiting long for a meager meal, too much effort raising the cattle and too low quality meat. By making it more twisted or layered Chil’s desire would become more desirable to the demon, it’s part of what’s fun with the third option to me. But whatever. Has he ever eaten a guy with this much repression and self-sabotage... Like trying to get the meat out of a walnut, enrichment…

Other dunlord Chil takes I’ve seen that are fun and good:

@feelo-fick and @pluvio-floret have a dunlord Chilchuck AU project dubbed "tragedy AU" where Chilchuck is said to be "on vacation", in a weird delirious state, only half-there half of the time… From which he doesn’t want to wake up </3 Quoting Feelo, this is why the vacation thing is only a half-joke cause he is 1) letting all his responsibilities go 2) indulging in himself and 3) "spending time with his family" <- lie but you get what i mean. Additional comments that have me vigorously nodding: because changing is hard why cant things just be okay right now without the effort !!! Life is hard he’s so so tired he just wants to feel good… he just wants life to feel nice and easy for a sec while he can learn to breathe again and lose the stress and trauma he’s accumulated…….. spoiler alert yes !!! in fact a depressed person can suck themselves into their job and lock out the world who wouldve thought !!!

And then Cabinette I know posted about his dunlord take once but I don’t have the link, in which Chil has a lot of nosebleeds because of mana overload which is fun and interesting to think about imo~

In dunmeshi, where characters get underground pockets of the world as their playground disconnected from everything outside and the rest of the world, it’s important to remember to face reality even if it has conflict and people with different views and stances from you, it’s something Chilchuck and Marcille and everyone needed to learn, and the thing with a dungeon lord AU is that you imagine a timeline where he fails to <3

A timeline where his dungeon lord wish is to desire nothing bc hope and want has only ever hurt him would also go so hard. Very universal thing though I suppose.

… And this is why a Chilchuck-centric Coraline AU is really really interesting and fitting and topical— Ok that’ll go in a separate reblog/post at @Fumiku I need to let this end

#Dungeon meshi #chilchuck tims #Analysis #dungeon lord chilchuck #Spoilers #dungeon meshi manga spoilers #Wish we could put just parts of a post under a ‘click to read more’ box that scrolls open and closes neatly #Bc 3/4th of the post is just extra explanation for ppl who don’t See The Vision already but like that’s not what i wanted most of the post #to be really gdbdg #Headcanons #You could say the family also represents something he’s built up with how own hands. If he has self-worth issues and thinks he’s a screw-up #in the virtue/honor and likability department especially— his family destroyed/killed also represents the one biggest good thing #he’s done/created crumbling also. Like his wife leaving without a word while he trusted their relationship this can hugely impact #one’s sense of identity and self-worth and what you’re living life for. In his case it’s not too surprising he turned to simple #physical pleasures for comfort and enjoyment. Like with tasting good food having moments feeling good keeps you going #He always focuses on the bad relationships bring and never the good aghhhh #The reverse of Marcille who often idealizes. They both ignore problems in their relationships in opposite ways.#What do you mean why do i bring up marcille. Okay yes this’ll get a marchil Fumiku short brainstorm reblog as well #Chilchuck is so… curse of having feelings and not realizing the extent of them. Underestimating how much you care #It’s either ‘i’m fine who cares’ or falling into the pits of despair and blaming himself n spilling his whole bag no inbetween #Dunmeshi succubus #Fumi rambles #boy that’s what this boils down to i suppose #Family angst “Hey I came back home from work and i’m tired so don’t talk to me about problems or anything k? I’m here to relax smh damn”#< unwilling to admit he has issues he should be working on or that some things are affecting others negatively #Chil you are so enneagram 6w7 <3

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