#reboundedheroes

[quitealotofsodapop]

Different SWK's react to "I want a baby" text:

I imagine these convos are between the different SWK and their LEMs, but it works in general too.

Lego Monkie Kid SWK/"Dawn" + TMKATI au "Peach":

The Monkey King: Hero is Born SWK/ "Dasheng":

The Monkey King Reborn/"Smokey":

The Monkey King (Netflix) 2023/ "Cherry":

New Gods: Nezha Reborn/"Ace":

Meihouwang/"Shihou":

Journey to the West: Legends of the Monkey King (2000)/"Sugar":

Smash Legends/"Starfruit":

I made this as a joke. Add any thoughts you wish.

[quitealotofsodapop]

"a common theme among orphaned and/or socially isolated macaques is oral fixation - as they lack a mother, they subconciously seek out oral stimulation via thumb-sucking or chewing on twigs to simulate nursing. These repetitive behaviors follow them into adulthood, even when they've grown into healthy wild monkeys"

The truth is I got a little sad reading that, but then my mind went a little random and I imagined this:

Basically you can see Swk and Lem hugging each other lovingly, then the red-haired ape separates a little and looks into the other's eyes and say:

"Can I suck your chaest?"

"Wha-"

This applies to any Swk in the Wukongverse probably ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

XD

Referencing this post about orphan monkey behavior seen in SWKs.

Short answer: YUP.

Long answer: Ultimately it would be another form of intimacy shared between two mates. Pretty much all the LEMs are aware that their Wukong was essentially an orphan, and after some confusion (or an indignant slap from some) they would be ok with it. It also makes them adoringly-smug to see the powerful Monkey King resting against their chest like a cub - its an extreme show of trust.

Godspeed to the SWKs who ask their mate that question when they're currently nursing a baby (like Zhanshi or Liang).

The monkey king wonders if this is how he dies.

[quitealotofsodapop]

In my Hero is Back sequel idea, I'm debating whether or not to make "Zhanshi" (aka the HiB Six Eared Macaque/Liu'er Mihou) skinny like her counterpart, or a Big Lady.

Like I'm leaning towards the latter cus of the adorable idea of Sun Wukong, the Havoc of Heaven, being this tall, muscular, and skinny guy - and his wafiu is shaped like a Venus of Willendorf statue.

Said waifu is also considered a scourge of Heaven and should not be underestimated just because she's Mom Shaped™

Or...

Dasheng *remembers* his right-hand warrior being more lithe and taller than him.

When he finally returns to Huaguo, new troop members in tow, he discovers that his thought-to-be-lost mate's body has changed - but their desire for eachother has not.

Zhanshi is as soft as she is still is deadly on the battlefield.

[quitealotofsodapop]

Peachbuds scenario:

Shihou: hey all the other us have something called a pet name for the other yous. It's a name of affection and we should have one!

Mihou: what would it be?

Shihou: what would you pet name me?

Mihou: hm... -blushes- sunflower.

Shihou: -gasps and hugs him- I love it! I'll pet name you opal! You're ears are pretty with your fur and reminds me of an opal!

Mihou: -red and hugs back, absolutely happy-

Shihou is such a sweetie, he probably doesn't even care if him and Mihou are a confirmed couple yet. He wants them to have names only they can share together.

Mihou def blushes like crazy the first hundred times he uses the pet name/hears his own.

Mihou, still flustered: "When does it stop making me feel goofy?" Plum: "It never does." *turns to LMK!Wukong* "Aint' that right, peaches?" ¬‿¬ Peach: "No." *giggling blushing mess* (つ≧▽≦)つ

Some of the other monkeys claim that they have no such pet names for eachother.

Dasheng: "Just seems a little... immature. Embarassing even." Peach, suspcious: "Is that so?" *turns to HiB!LEM* "Hey Zhanshi. What do you call Dasheng when you're alone together?" Zhanshi, no hesitation: "Oh, I call him Hot Cheeks cus of his butt. Otherwise it's Husband and Love in front of the kids." ( •̀ω •́ ) Dasheng: *covers blushing face with hands* Peach: "Don't ever lie to me again." Zhanshi, fondly: "He also calls me Tiānshǐ [angel]." （ﾉ´∀`） Peach: "Aww!" Dasheng: *embarassed wheezing sound* (/□＼*)・゜

Also since the LEMs have built-in lie detecting ears, they can all tell when one of them is lying about petnames. The Smash duo call eachother "dumbass" as petname.

[quitealotofsodapop]

Now I wanna see how all LEMs react to a love rival...

It varies from universe

LMK/Plum: "Oh no~ how could I compete with... nah I'm mad. Get your ass over here!" *starts causing havoc* Starts off confident and cool, but he's secretly a very jealous monkey. 100% down for loud PDA with his Peach.

HeroIsBack/Zhanshi: *short evil chuckle* "Meet me in the Pit." Quick to murder-violence like his mate. Their idea of PDA involves doing unholy acts in a pool of their respective love rivals' blood.

Reborn/Liang: "Huh?! You know thats not gonna work on my Wukong." *splays self out over Smokey's lap* "He's a married man after all." >;3 Lots of posturing and pda, might loudly walk on scene with Xiao Qi to get his point across.

Netflix/Olive: "Die." Gets really cold (colder than usual) to the love rival, and is loudly confrontational to them infront of Cherry. Has no interest in beating around the emotional bush.

NewGods/Joker: "Just try, hun. It took this man hundreds of years to get a flirty joke I told him back in the Qin dynasty." *drinks wine* Has zero fear.

Meihouwang/Mihou: "I'm fine I guess." *is crying inside* Starts doing pda to Shihou to scare off love rivals unconciosuly.

2000sCartoon/Spice: *loud sobbing coming from the shadows* Makes his concerns known immediately to Ganzhe. Is the one to get the quickest reassurance. Clings to his Wukong afterwards.

Smash/Lilac: "Uh yeah. Ain't happening." Posts a bunch of happy domestic tweets + a new "hands off manstealer" track before the love rival can come close to his bf.

They be clingy mfs.

[quitealotofsodapop]

Another fun fact, I believe for macaques when they find a partner(male) they are attracted to the darker skinned ones.

So with that monkey but fact you said, LEM is the one that gets all the bitches(Wukong only)

Sun Wukong maybe the "Handsome Monkey King", but the Six Eared Macaque has always been "the hot one" multiple-ears or no ears.

Thankfully for the Wukongs in the Wukongverse, their LEMs are only really interested in their respective SWKs.

[quitealotofsodapop]

Wukongverse ships;

pretty much yeah!

Au!Shadowpeach is so married it hurts, while Canon!Shadowpeach are still building back up to being soulmates.

Ace and Joker (Jackpotshipping) are the Old gay married couple who have experienced every kind of high and low together, and insult eachother as a form of affection.

Peachbuds is "im in love with my best friend, but what about our friendship?" up until both of them admit their feelings in a whirlwind of tears and emotions. Awkward dramatic first kiss. Afterwards, its mutual dreams of being co-ruling-kings.

On Sugar + Spice (LinkedFacade) tho its more a QPR relationship. They value their friendship far above any romantic aspect.

Dasheng + Zhanshi (ReboundedHeroes) are raising kids together, and both have a mutual attraction. But its hard for them to say that they're together. Will refer to the other as their "husband/wife/mate" unprompted, but become flustered when asked how they feel about one another. Suddenly reminded of Loid and Yor from Spy x Family.

Smokey + Liang (fruitiedads), it starts out as "childhood rivals" to "uh oh, best pretend we're married so people don't ask too many questions about our kid." Sorta a "Buddy Daddies" vibe. It takes them a fair while to admit that they've been romantically attracted to one another for a long time. First kiss is probably one meant to be fake/for show, but they got too into it. First "real" kiss was at night by the pilgrims' campfire - Xiao Qi saw and woke everyone up with his delighted squeaking.

For the netflix Cherry and Olive (CherryandOliveStones); it starts out more like a mix of Disney's Hercules and Meg + April and Andy from Parks & Rec. Mutual fascination that has to learn to work through pride. The kid comes in later after Olive joins the pilgrims. Cherry melts like a gotdang ice cube every single time Olive kisses him, could be the 2nd or 1000th smooch; this monkey offline. Marriage only gets brought up cus of royal legal benefits (also useful for deterring would be suitors).

[quitealotofsodapop]

Wait...thought...we only have figured out allergies and how to stop them in the past century...have any of those old-timey monkeys even seen an anaphylactic reaction?

...I'm not saying anything bad, but...

...Xiaoyun getting stung by a bee and having a reaction, while his parents are losing their minds in panic - he's swelling and struggling to breathe, what can we do, we can't do anything - only for Peach to rockstar slide in on his knees, uncapping the epipen with his teeth and jabbing it quickly in Xiaoyun's thigh.

Then everyone from the past sits through a whole seminar made by Tang about allergies and reactions and get some epipens for safety's sake.

oof yeah, offical synthetic epinephrine was invented in 1904. There was an idea of allergies as far back as Hippocrates-time, but mostly for "seasonal asthma". Anaphylaxis was known at least to occur when some people got stung by bees or jellyfish as early as 1811 - it was considered the same as being envenomated.

The "Hero is Back" gang would have no clue how to respond to immuno-compromised (a new phrase Dasheng makes sure to remember) Xiaoyun having a Bad Reaction to something like a bee sting. They're panicking and crying cus it looks like the kiddo just dropped after a little bee landed on him.

Peach: *rockstar-slide epipen injection* Xiaoyun: *getting better* Dasheng & Zhanshi, in shock: "What." Peach: "Looks like your Little guy is allergic to bee stings. Luckily, we've neen making sure to have an epipen on us since Bai He turned out to be allergic to lillies." Dasheng, hugging Xiaoyun with relief: "What's an allergy?" Zhanshi, also hugging Xiaoyun: "And what exactly is an *epi*? Does it require an alchemist to make?" Peach, realizing: "Oh yeah... modern medicine."

After a brief Tang-seminar, the monkeys from the far past def grab a few epipens for safety reasons. And maybe one accidentally invents synthetic epinephrine in their time way earlier than they were supposed to.

[quitealotofsodapop]

Book!Wukong, Hero!Macaque y las otras versiones femeninas de su grupo se llevarían como una casa en llamas al ser las únicas mujeres del grupo de peregrinos, podrían hacer noches de chicas asdvasd

Book!Wukong y los demás SWK transmac podrían hacer bromas por sus teta perdida (Lo único que puedo visualizar la cicatriz de su pecho es como se ve una teta post operación de cáncer de mama)

translated via google;

"Book!Wukong, Hero!Macaque and the other female versions of their group would get along like a house on fire being the only women in the group of pilgrims, they could have girls' nights out asdvasd

Book!Wukong and the other SWK transmac could make jokes about her missing boob (The only thing I can visualize the scar on her chest is what a post-breast cancer surgery boob looks like)"

The ladies all have such a night out. Havoc in the Clubs XD

Hero!SWK/Dasheng jokes with Book!Macaque about their respective partners are "stealing eachother" and Book!Macaque and Hero!Macaque/Zhanshi immediately get into a cat fight. Cus every Macaque knows that the only true romantic threat for their Wukong's affections is another Macaque XD.

I love how we share the hc that some of the SWK's are missing a boob + have a nasty chest scar there from Erlang pinning them "around the collarbone" with a blade when they got captured by Heaven. Not sure if I can show a reference pic, but the scars do kinda look like mastectomy/cancer removal scars.

[quitealotofsodapop]

Smokey and Liang might have eight kids (nine if include Luzhen) but Cherry and Olive will no doubt over take them eventually or at least try.

No doubt their stone/pebble army will cause multiple celestial and demons to try multiverse hopping too, for their sanity. Too many monkeys.

Cherry and Olive do be wanting a big family (here & here).

In Smokey and Liang's (Reborn!SWK & LEM) defence; five of those kids came off a tree, two were free celestial wood-werewolf puppies, and Xiao Qi just spawned himself in. Luzhen being a stone-egg monkey dropped on the parents makes him the most normal monkey kid.

Cherry and Olive (Netflix!SWK & LEM) take one look at the Reborn couple being swarmed with baby monkeys with envy. Then they see the amount of kids au!Spicynoodles has?! No fair! They want more too!

Peach and Plum get a brief warning that the sound-damped guest bedroom on FFM is occupied before the Netflix monkeys run off to do Buddha-knows what.

Meanwhile inside Pigsy's Noodles, Netflix!Tripitaka suddenly stops talking and gets a horrified look on his face like his cicada-senses are tingling.

Netflix!Tripitaka: "Oh sweet Buddha, not again." LMK!Tang: "Huh?" Netflix!Tripitaka: "You know how I said that we've had to keep a close eye on our monkeys or else they'd... multiply?" LMK!Tang, snickering: "How can you tell?" Netflix!Tripitaka: "We've left them alone for more than an hour, thats how I know."

Afterwards, Peach is just shrugging cus what did he expect? To quote a certain cartoon Squid;

Later on, Cherry and Olive are grinning ear-to-ear with news of future "pebbles". Their pilgrims are very tired/annoyed. The other verses monkeys are confused.

Smokey: "This isn't a competition!" Cherry: "Sounds like someone who's about to lose 1st place!" Smokey: "We didn't even make ours like that..."

Cherry and Olive are def that couple who brag loudly about their kids. Cherry being the worst for it - he can rival most DBKs with his parental pride. If him and Olive learn about ultrasounds, then the other monkeys are getting the photos shoved in their faces. It may or may not inspire anger/competitiveness.

Dasheng, annoyed: "Gah! I hate how much they've been bragging about their new kid! They aren't the only ones who can have them naturally..." Zhanshi: "Hmm, maybe they should have actual competition?" Dasheng: "...what are you implying?" Zhanshi, giggling: "Just a thought." Dasheng, blushing and laughing nervously: "My dear wife, What Does That Mean!?" Liuer, in the next room: "...why do I feel like I'm going to have a new sibling soon?"

The celestials and demons in the Netflix!verse are terrified by the army will soon overrun them. The Jade Emperor of that verse is sending sos's to his LMK counterpart for help like "We're overrun with monkeys! Please send reinforcements!" and LMK Jade Emperor just blocks the number.

[quitealotofsodapop]

Oh no! Macaque has been kidnapped! What do each of the monkeys do? (Assuming the kidnapper is actually powerful enough to pose a threat)

In the case of an equal threat, like say the Demon of Havoc or similar.

Peach and Dawn mobilize the troops (ie. the Monkie Kid gang and co.) to track down Plum and Dusk's locations and raze the place to the ground. They might get caught by a few villain traps along the way cus of the tunnel-vision. The LEM's are constantly trying to escape. Lots of hugs and kissing follows once they find eachother.

Dasheng would have a second of disbelief... then fly into a screaming rage flying towards the kidnapper's location. He's lost Zhanshi before, he'll never lose her again! Zhanshi similarly is clawing and biting her whole way through the whole situation. The pair kiss deeply in the aftermath of fighting, and have to avert the gaze of any little-monks or pig demons in what follows after.

Smokey gets so mad he nearly tears up the ransom note/messenger right then and there. His fellow pilgrims are the ones to calm him down long enough to form an escape plan. Liang meanwhile is boredly checking his lantern, knowing that his kidnapper is in for a world of hurt. Liang makes a snarky comment once Smokey busts on in, but quickly drags his mate closer for a relieved kiss once he sees the tears of worry in the king's eyes.

Cherry gets real quiet. Like scary quiet. He just gets on Stick and zips silently over to where Olive is being kept, and busts his mate out of there. The second Olive is ok, Cherry turns his attention to the kidnapper and without theatrics' smashes them with Stick. Afterwards he spends hours crying from overwhelming relief/worry. He thinks his brain "turned off Monkey King-mode" in the face of potentially losing his mate. Olive in contrast begins stuttering and sobbing in the aftermath, wanting nothing but to be held by his mate. It's a mega stressful situation overall.

Ace drops his cup of coffee in surprise. Calls up Yunxiang and explains the situation. Within minutes the kidnapper has a flaming motorcycle crashing through the wall and a furious masked monkey clawing at his face. Joker and Ace cant stop laugh-crying with relief when they reunite, foreheads pressed against one another.

Shihou is like Cherry in that his normally bright personality is quieted in the face of losing his mate. Shihou has experienced so many threats trying to take Mihou away from him, but this time it feels "different". Gets all his friends mobilized to help. It's a full on knight-in-shining-armor scenario for him and Mihou (who many joke is like Princess Peach in the Meihouwang series). Big dramatic kissing occurs once Shihou and Mihou reunite.

Sugar gets really nervous and jittery, even as he forms the rescue plan. Spice is his shadow, his other half. He can't imagine his life without them anymore. His pilgrims are a big help in figuring out how to save Spice, calling upon favors from past allied gods to help. They hug eachother tight, even if the battle isn't quite finished.

Starfruit starts screaming and runs to the different factions in the Library - raising the alarm that Lilac/"The Six Eared Macaque" has been kidnapped. His friends and fellow heroic characters rush to aide his mission - including Lilac's villainous allies. Starfruit glares at those who ask why he's sticking his neck out for "a villain" of his story. I imagine that Lilac's fan-following oddly helps in pin-pointing where he was last seen/where his phone tracker died. Afterwards I imagine both monkeys go off-grid for a while just to bask in eachother's presences.

[quitealotofsodapop]

Hilarious zoology fact I wanna shove in from the "Deep Sea" & "Monkey King Hero is Back" teaser;

Dasheng: "[My butt] Is it really that red!?"

Fun fact, macaques (like what the Monkey King is said to most resemble in Jttw) get big red butts when they're in heat. My man just got served a helping of himself looking like; 😘

Also poor Dasheng has to deal with the knowledge that someone, somewhere; knows whats his ass looks like. And told everyone.

Probably his Macaque.

[quitealotofsodapop]

[The infant mystic monkey Xiaoyún/小云 (Little Cloud) hatches from the Stone Egg much earlier (and much smaller) than they should be. They're missing an arm and an eye on their right side where the Stone Egg was cracked, the areas covered over with scar tissue.]

Aww! Poor baby! I hope he's not in pain from that crack!

[Dasheng and Zhanshi will kill anyone and anything that poses a threat to their little cloud.]

I have this feeling their kill counts will pentuple in the coming years.

That baby is prbs gonna be the most doted on in the Wukongverse by far.

I couldn't help imagine Red trying to make a prosthetic arm for the kid, but it devolved into Peach going, "I helped! I chopped my arms off to help Red with whatever he needed to get the things to work a needed."

Plum adding in tiredly, "The amount of hand and arm jokes that came during this event was frustrating to a point even the kids were throwing couches at the laughing asshole."

Xiaoyun is not in pain, but the single arm and eye is a little hurdle he grows to adapt to. He's also missing the outer ear(s) on his right/"cracked" side. His birth deformities mimic the perma-injuries his parents received in story - Dasheng's shackled right arm from the buddha vs Zhanshi's injuries from the war.

He's still a feisty baby! Like that one tiktok of a kitten trying to furiously smack something with it's missing paw. Loud chirping and squeaking follow where ever he is. Very chatty once he gets big enough.

Liuer is def the big brother who dotes on his little adoptive sibling. Is the first one to witness Xiaoyun crawling/walking on his own, and started crying with pride so loudly that the monkey parents thought something was wrong. They too started crying with pride.

[That baby is prbs gonna be the most doted on in the Wukongverse by far.]

Dasheng and Zhanshi come into a Wukongverse meeting after a few weeks of radio silence. Only to reveal tiny baby Xiaoyun, swaddled safely against one of their chests.

The other universes characters all have emotional attacks from the cuteness. Fully grown monkeys/pigs/monks/dragons/& fishmen sobbing.

Peach, crying from the cuteness: "H-he's so small!" Dasheng, attention fully on the baby: "He is. We wanted to make sure he was strong enough before we showed him off." Starfruit: "What's up with his face?" *gets smacked by 2 other monkeys* "Ow! It's a legit question!" Zhanshi, petting Starfruit's head: "It's ok. Little Xiaoyun's egg was damaged sometime before he hatched. We think the damage caused his right extremities not to form correctly." Liang, introducing Xiao Qi to the new baby: "Aw. Poor thing. I hope it doesn't cause him too many issues in the future. Maybe he'll manifest a crystal limb like his baba." Dasheng, hiding his crystallized tail: "Eh. Lets not get our hopes up." Sugar, in a baby-voice to Xiaoyun: "If anything happened to you, I would tear Heaven asunder. Yes I would!" :3

Meanwhile, LMK MK is too busy making goofy faces at this little other-him to wonder if his egg was cracked too (in the Monkey King and the Infant Au it was).

[I couldn't help imagine Red trying to make a prosthetic arm for the kid]

If LMK Red made a functional futuristic prosthetic arm for Xiaoyun, he would recieve the undying loyalty of the entire HiB gang.

And Peach would also get a tight hug of appreciation, and a groan for all his arm puns.

[quitealotofsodapop]

HiB Sequel/Au Ideas

I have a lot of thoughts on Monkey King: Hero is Back, and I've complied most of them here. It has such a fascinating concept, especially in regards to how the timeline of "Journey to the West" has been permanently altered by Hundun/Chaos.

Timeline changes cus of Events in Story:

Sun Wukong/Dasheng is pretty much "on probation" since he busted out early + asks for a huge favor from the gods at the end of HiB. Guanyin is the one to agree to change the headband to the armlet/chain cuff/buddha ankle-monitor. SWK might get it removed if he stays on good behavior.

Jiang Liuer (same name as the Tang Monk/Tripitaka when he was young), is a small child + dies at the hand of Hundun, but is somehow revived by the credits. Oddly enough, he's said by the production team to be the Ninth Cicada rather than the Tang Monk's Tenth. Maybe literally dying counted as a -1 life? The tie-in videogame shows it more clearly; Dasheng was involved in Liuer's revival and is shown begging/threatening the gods in the credit art, holding Liuer in his arms.

Zhu Bajie isn't married (yet). He also is probably lying about what he did to reincarnate as a pig demon.

Fa Ming is a cool af old man who isn't even tied to any big mythos character. Just a really cool mortal buddhist who went "Hey, free grandson!" when Liuer floated down the river in the prologue.

Sha Wujing has likely *just* been kicked out of heaven. According to a comment by the films director, this version of Sha Wujing may be fem.

Ao Lie has yet to set his dad's house on fire. Might do it on accident in future. Was a real bro and helped SWK get to Hundun during their battle. And according to the credits to the videogame, helped return many of the kidnapped children to their parents.

Theories:

Sha Ya Tou/"Silly Girl" is actually the Red Child/Hong Hai'er. She was kidnapped prior to the story by Hundun's forces to act as the flame for the furnace. Hence her extreme luck, lack of fear, taste for rare meat, and her little "horn" ponytails. If Hundun had pushed his luck, he would have had a Syndrome vs Jack-Jack situation on his hands. Her parents are currently very worried and tearing every village apart trying to find her.

Hundun/Chaos is literally an avatar of the Great Peril, but he loses his identity when he reverts back to the Original Hundun. His ritual was so he could maintain/prolong his humanoid form. He's sacrificed human children before in similar rituals, and initially set his sights on Liuer (the current Golden Cicada) as a baby for this goal - but assumed him lost/dead after Liuer's birth family were slaughtered.

The "mountain trolls/yaoguai" arent inherently evil, but they follow whoevers the strongest. Hence why they started cheering for SWK when he began overpowering Hundun.

Fic things under Read More:

Potiential Fic Timeline:

LEM has already made a name for themselves by hunting humans that prey on demons, and by spreading the tale of their thought-to-be-lost friend Sun Wukong. Then a Stone Egg smashes down next to him one day just after a solar eclipse. Coincidence? >:3

Meanwhile, Sun Wukong is busy beating down the door to the Underworld wanting his son/tudi/friend/ pest back. The Kings of Hell are hesistant to do anything cus you know, until...

King Yama, uninterested: "Gee, thats a tall order. Buuuut death is a mortal inevitablity, and you're still supposed to be under the mountain so..." Guanyin, phases in: "The child is the Golden Cicada." All the Kings of Hell: "HE'S WHAT!?" "Sweet buddha, get that kid's soul back in there pronto!" "He's not suppose to be dead yet!" Dasheng: *gives Guanyin a thumbs-up* "thanks" Guanyin: "Don't think you get off scott-free, sage. You're still supposed to be getting punished." Dasheng: *nervous gulp as he accepts his fate* *the chain cuff from the mountain is slapped back on Dasheng's wrist* Guanyin: "However, your actions towards this little monk has succesfully reduced your sentence. I believe as long as you stay by him, you won't run into too much trouble" *cheeky wink* Dasheng, relieved: "I suppose I could do a lot worse."

Liuer is able to be revived, but is in a comatose state for around 49 days as his soul internally "reincarnates". In this state he manages to pass on messages between SWK and an "unknown warrior" (LEM) via their dreams.

Pigsy, SWK, Fa Ming, and the newly-welcomed Ao Lie spend a lot of time reuniting the stolen children with their families.

Fa Ming bonds with SWK over the weeks caring for the cometose Liuer. SWK is reminded of Master Subodhi and gets wistful. Fa Ming entrusts SWK to care for Liuer when he's gone. SWK agrees, but is internally panicking.

Bonus complication; Silly Girl's parents have yet to be found. And even with his weakened powers, Dasheng's gold-vision tells him that she's not what she seems...

One night, Liuer manages to convey to SWK that Mount Huaguo is under attack by hunters. SWK in his haste; bundles all of his new little troop onto the Sommersault Cloud and flies towards Mount Huaguo.

SWK goes to rescue his missing/captured subjects from the main hunters camp. He finds the hunters already being torn apart by LEM. They have a mutual "oh shit, its my old crush/best friend I thought died in the war"-moment. Liuer reveals himself to be awake at the very end of the encounter.

Both monkeys see eachother alive + a kid (SWK and Liuer, LEM and the Stone Egg) and a romantic comedy ensues. Until...

Guanyin: "Hey gang, sorry to burst your bubble. But the big guys upstairs are a little peeved. Seems like the manifestation of primordial chaos messing with things on earth, has literally thrown the entire timeline off course. The Buddha needs you to check in on places where chaos is at it's most rampant. Don't worry about directions, I'll cc them to the little cicada. Ok? Byyyeeee!" *leaves* The whole gang: "wut." Liuer, eyes glowing: "We should go westward." Dasheng, groaning: "And I just got back home!"

+Stone Egg Bonus:

After seeing the poster for the upcoming prequel to HiB, I have determined that the baby monkey inside the egg would most likely be born/hatched out with white/cream-coloured fur and very fluffy. Therefore I will declare this little "MK" variant; Xiaoyún/小云 (Little Cloud).

[quitealotofsodapop]

I made a small joke comparing Hero is Back SWK and my idea for his LEM as being like Loid and Yor from Spy x Family and!;

The HiB au fam are literally the Forgers in a different font.

Stoic but dedicated goofy dad + wholesome but terrifying mom duo - who are still getting used to being a couple. + their michevious adopted kid who's more powerful than anyone thinks.

Liuer: "Great Sage and the Warrior are flirting..." Dasheng & Zhanshi, both flustered: "No we are not!"

Liuer also would 100% make Anya's mischief face when he tries pulling a trick to make his fave monkeys get closer to one another. :3

Meanwhile, grandpa Fa Ming is like the Master Roshi (DBZ) of the family. He may be odd, but they would all kill for him.

(Also yes I've begun seeing Zhanshi as a rare fem LEM)

[quitealotofsodapop]

Four of the SWKs are wondering what's so great about being in a relationship. Only to fall one by one while are planing their own weddings, which I find funny and ironic. They really went from zero to a hundred the second their own LEM came into view.

Also while you did mention Peach commits public indecency and Dasheng fights to the dead when love rivals enter, I can just see all of them (except for the kids) doing either or both depending on which SWK.

LMK/Peach: "I will make this story 18+ if you don't stop looking at my husband."

HeroisBack/Dasheng: "So you has choosen death."

Reborn/Smokey: "DIE!!! Oh wait... he might reciprocate? k imma listen to sad pipa tunes in my room for a bit..." If the affection is unwanted he goes for the throat, if Liang seems to be into it Smokey gets a bit sad (self-esteem is not great).

Netflix/Cherry: "Imma smooch my bf so much, it'll make everybody comfortable!" Uses his clingy touch-starved affection to make it clear to possible love rivals that his Olive is off the market.

NewGods/Ace: *laughs in multiple centuries of marriage* "Just try."

Meihouwang/Shihou: *chanting to self* "I wont get mad, I wont get mad, I won't-" *sees love rival touch Mihou's shoulder* "GET YOUR HANDS OFF MY MIHOU!!"

2000sCartoon/Ganzhe: "Good for them." :) Secretly feeling a little weird but is glad his Spice is finding themselves more meaningful relationships.

Smash/Starfruit: Posts a bunch of heartbreak memes until his LEM responds by calling him an idiot. Then he goes on media blackout for a whole day with nothing but a suggestive post the morning after. Otherwise meet him in the Denny's parking lot.