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big-nerd-boi · 5 months

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A sneak peak of a part of my very own storyline/ au/ fanfic or something- I don’t know guys I’m just here for monkeys.

But I do have a name for it!

Kill the crown.

Pretty cool right? I think so-

Okay basic run down!

At the end of

“the journey to the west”

Which I have not read yet so bear with me on this canon divergence— Wukong goes to the jade emperor to have his crown removed. JE decides that no, Wukong is too unruly and dangerous to keep around; unfortunately killing him is out of his options because Wukong is effectively completely immortal now, so instead— JE recites a variation of the crown’s spell and effectively puts Wukong into a coma cannot wake himself up from.

From there, Wukong is thrown back onto flower fruit mountain ( the art is of Wukong in his coma) and left to rot. Neither his brothers nor master know where he is, so they wait… and wait- until they continue with their own lives.

Eventually heaven is taken over by someone else, the jade emperor destroyed by a creature only known by the veiled emperor.

No one knows their face, their real name, or the extend of their powers. Only that they’ve laid siege on the celestial realm, destroying anyone who stands in their way.

Fifty earthly years pass, parts of China are now controlled by the veiled emperor as well- and said power is creeping along, covering more and more kingdoms.

Humans and demons alike of course fight back, warring against the celestial realm.

One free kingdom is The Kingdom of the Eastern Sun. Ruled by a demonic king, and his empress… the stone ape, the long armed gibbon, Min-Yáng. Together she and Bojing ( her husband ) have four children.

The main of which is the second oldest, Ming-Yue/ Yue for short. Over the years, there have been rumors of Monkey King’s staff being hidden among the earth- and she was fascinated by it.

She was even more intrigued when a general spoke about finding what they thought to be said staff, requesting her parents for an expedition group.

Heng, Min-Yáng’s sworn brother and the stone baboon, offered to join this party. Yue snuck out, hiding away to join the crew. No one was any wiser until it was too late to bring her back.

Finding the staff is the catalyst, even more so when Yue plucks it from the crater it had formed when falling from heaven.

From then on, she and her uncle Heng are hunted by misguided ( if not outright forced ) celestial soldiers, even other demons! All of them wanting the staff to give to the new emperor.

There is only one person still on the mortal plane that can help, the legendary monkey king. But only one of equal power and strength can awaken him from the crown’s curse.

Someone that had been dead for decades, the last monkey born from stone… the six eared macaque: Luhan.

And that’s a quick summary of Kill The Crown so far!

Of course there’s so many more characters and details I’m skipping over like Yue’s siblings, Guanyin’s role, and so much more!! But dang I’m so excited to share this story with everybody! Of course, soon to come is art of everybody once I format it all to Tumblr. But if you’re too impatient- my insta has quite a bit of kill the crown art!

#journey to the west #monkey king #six eared macaque #jttw fanart #jttw au #jttw #jttw sun wukong #sun wukong #jttw monkey king #jttw oc #how does tumblr work #the brainrot is real

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the-monkey-ruler · 1 year

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Another question, how many times was swk kicked off the journey and why?

Wukong was kicked out of the group first in the White Bone Demon Arc, I would say that this was about a year or so into their journey together, and at this point, they have had only three adventures. The burning of the Abbey, the Yellow Wind Demon, and the Ginseng Fruit Arc. To me, it's important to know which arc has led up to the telling arc so that we can have a better understanding of where people might be with trust.

Wukong can tell White Bone Spirit is a demon right away and while he was going to kill her Sanzang tried to give her the benefit of the doubt as she hasn't actually harmed them in any way. Wukong accused him of just wanting to sleep with her.

So already not off to a good start.

This leads to the three killings and both of them butting heads over who is right and wrong. Is it right for Wukong to kill someone that has yet to harm them only because he knows she is a demon but his journeymates cannot tell or is it right for them to have to wait for a wrong to be committed to retaliate in the first place?

Also, I think that since neither Wujing nor Bajie has seen the Fillet Tighening Spell at this point they were not aware of its effects since they were only away of what it could do in the Ginseng Fruit arc, and even then I don't think Bajie believed it until now, similar to how he didn't really believe Bailong was a dragon under his horse disguise until the Yellow Robe arc when he first spoke.

That isn't to excuse their actions but the main reason I believe that Bajie was trying to get back at Wukong for the perverse uncounted where he was strung up in a tree by Guanyin at the start of the Ginseng Fruit arc and other deities due to Wukong's pushing for him to get married. At least I believe he thought this was a sting-for-a-strong kind of revenge.

Bajie was the one to tell Sanzang that Wukong might be lying for the sake to kill humans which sadly at this point isn't too far out there due to his persistence to kill humans at the Burning of the Abbey. Wukong doesn't kill humans because he has to, he has shown that when he killed those seven bandits that attacked him and Sanzang at the start of the book as well. He kills humans because he believes they deserve to die and he is the one to do it. It is not out of need, he wants to kill them if they get in his way.

Again I think that because of these past actions have clouded Sanzang's judgment to believe Wukong because he is 100% in the right that she was a demon trying to kidnap him. But he has seen Wukong treat humans and demons the same way, and with no help of Bajie, is making choices out of anger rather than logic. Needless to say, there hasn't been a lot of good blood so far, I really think that Sanzang would believe him if Bajie didn't keep making excuses.

This all came to a head when Sanzang really thinks that Wukong isn't going to change his stance on killing people, whether it be his own lack of ability to teach or that Wukong finds human life of little value he sends Wukong away. He doesn't even bother with the spell on the third killing just for him to go.

After that is it the Yellow Robe arc where Wujing is captured, Sanzang gets turned into a tiger and almost hunted to death, Bailong is out of commission and only Bajie is left standing.

And he has to be the one to get Wukong back. Which he does leading to Sanzang being very grateful and they move on to the journey.

From there about seven years pass or so, and they are about 8 or 9 years into the journey when the Six-Eared Macaque Arc begins, so a little over halfway with about 6 or 5 years to go. I think he has used the spell only once when the Hundred-Eyed Demon was pretending to be Sanzang as well and Wukong told him to recite it so he knows which one to kill.

From there it is a little bit more direct why he got banished it's more to do with how he treated both the living and the dead.

I think what people again miss is that when it comes to humans, Wukong isn't facing other demons that can fight with him toe-to-toe in magic. Wukong has so many abilities to subdue that he has don't with other deities and demons, putting them to sleep, making them immovable, tying them up, he can stop humans and scare them off without killing the for the sake of protecting Sanzang. But he wants to kill them because he thinks they deserve to die anyway, which goes against their whole thing about showing mercy.

Instead, Wukong explains how it's actually Sanzang's fault that he has to kill so many humans. That if it wasn't for him and this mission that there would be so many people alive, and who cares about some petty thieves or scum bandits, they would have died anyway so he was just speeding up the process. This is ironic to me because Wukong who was also sent to be executed was giving mercy to have a second chance as well but he wavers in some cases when he thinks others deserve a chance at redemption as well.

From there it is a little bit more direct why he got banished it's more to do with how he treated both the living and the dead.

They were staying at a family's house and they claim that their son has done great evil as a bandit, a bandit that the pilgrims have already met and Wukong killed their leader. When the bandit came home and saw them he wanted to get revenge and kill them in their sleep. His family let the pilgrim get away so that no one would get hurt but they were still chased after.

Wukong makes the choice of killing the rest of the bandits and I think that maybe, perhaps he wouldn't have been banished this time if he didn't go to the trouble of cutting off the head of the family's son and presenting it as a trophy. But Sanzang let his anger get the best of him and sent him away without trying to talk it out.

He goes to Guanyin because he didn't want to face the shame of going home but she tells him to wait until Sanzang has cooled off his anger to see reasons again and rather asked him with his powers why he couldn't have shown mercy to the bandits (like a good teacher does).

I think that is why the Six-Eared Macaque arc shows the real turning point with how not only Wukong behaves but Sanzang as well. Wukong is fighting his inner demons over here but Sanzang has to learn not to let his anger and emotions not to get the best of him. He is too quick to judge and needs to find out more about the whys in how people act rather than taking it at face value.

These are defiantly the worst point for either character as it highlights their worst traits and I hate to think of them as the most common examples whenever people think of Journey to the West when there are nearly 15 other arcs showing how they both change and grow throughout their journey.

There is a lot more to be said with how Sanzang is seen in more of a Confucianism mindset in later interactions to give Wukong more good qualities in comparison as the story of Xuanzang changes more and more throughout time. But also Wukong's representation of both control and freedom and the balance of the two to make a cohesive narrative within the story.

There is so much more that can be said but I think I'll wrap it up here.

#tang sanzang #sun wukong #jttw #journey to the west #xiyouji #ask

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kaibutsushidousha · 6 months

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What are the exact name ofthose Buddha statues Iori made you posted? Besides the Boss one

The Earth statue is Bishamonten, one of the Seven Lucky Gods of Japan. Aside from Ebisu, who is a purified Hiruko, all of the Seven Lucky Gods are regional variants of gods imported from China and India. Bishamonten specifically is Kuvera, a Hindu wealth god who was promoted to a Buddhist guardian deva (Buddhist name: Vaisravana). Notorious avatars of Kuvera include Li Jing (Nezha's father, avatar status canon to Type-Moon Pan-Human History), Sakanoue no Tamuramaro (Suzuka Gozen's husband, avatar status unclear in Type-Moon), and Uesugi Kenshin (Nagao Kagetora, avatar status maybe exclusive to Gudaguda).

The Water statue is Maha Vairocana, the most central and most perfected entity in Mahayana Buddhism. The Buddha above all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, so to speak. In 752, Emperor Shoumu established that Maha Vairocana is the Buddha form of sun goddess Amaterasu, a belief established as canon to Type-Moon. Amaterasu/Vairocana shows her actual face in Tamamo's route of CCC, so she's the only one in the post where I put a picture of the actual Buddha instead of an avatar.

The Wind statue is a Bodhisattva known by the Japanese name Kanzeon (frequently shortened to Kannon) or the Sanscrit name Avalokitesvara, but certainly more popular by the Chinese name Guanyin thanks to their recurring presence in China's mythological epics. They're featured in The Investiture of the Gods as one of the Xians who completed their studies under Yuanshi Tianzun, and later they appear in Journey to the West as the Bodhisattva who sent Xuanzang on his journey and pretty much always the first one they call for help when they need intervention from a higher force. They're widely known for being a shapeshifter, resulting in many variants of statues of them both in masculine and feminine forms. During the ban on Christianity in Japan, the Christians got away with having Virgin Mary statues by establishing Mary's image as one of the many transformations of Kanzeon. Bodhisattva Kanzeon is the main object of worship of the Yoshinaka Temple, which is why both he and Tomoe have Avalokitesvara's sutra as their NP name. Surprisingly enough, Guanyin has yet to make any significant appearance in Fate/, so I went with Yoshinaka's armor as their image because the Yoshinaka Temple association comes with the strong implication that his armor is a treasure modeled after Kanzeon's image.

The Fire statue is Acala, more known by his Japanese name, Fudou Myou-ou. You may know him as the big angry Stand from Musashi's Noble Phantasm. Acala is a really minor Wisdom King in the original Indo-Buddhist side of things, but for some reason, he's immensely popular in Japan. The main story he's featured in is the story of how Sidharta Gautama became The Buddha. The most popular version of it is that Mara appeared to impede Gautama's enlightenment, but ultimately was driven away inside him Mara found the angry face of Acala, the Buddha's demon-conquering form. That's the version I'm more familiar with, so I would prefer using Extra's Buddha as Fudou Myou-ou's image, but another version says that Acala was either a messenger sent by Vairocana to ensure Gautama's enlightenment or Vairocana's own demon-conquering form. And Musashi's materials associate Fudou with Shiva (never heard of this connection before), so for canon compliance, I had to go with Shiva('s avatar Asvattaman).

And the Void statue is the Thousand-Armed Guanyin. It's a transformation where Guanyin copies the 1000 arms of Vishnu to reach out and save the biggest possible number of sentient beings in all worlds. I could use Yoshinaka again since that's another Guanyin, but I went with Vishnu('s avatar Rama) since this form is essentially Guanyin transformed into Vishnu. I also considered photoshopping 40 extra pairs of arms into Rama but I'm lazy and the pose in his card really doesn't help anyone trying to multiply his arm.

#fate samurai remnant

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starsfic · 2 years

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Some adorable but relatively ridiculous, and I'm not even sure if this fits into the au you had in mind, but the Dad Wukong AU thing with DBK hearing about Wukongs offspring and coming to flower fruit mountain. Wukongs ready for a fight, only for DBK to produce his OWN offspring and proceed to compare the kids because there's no way that filthy simians spawn could be as fantastic as his own. No idea how old red would be. Baby? Kid? Teenager? Go nuts.

This reminded me of a comic @smallpwbbles did with their Bitty MK.

It was a nice day.

Of course, on the island of Flower Fruit Mountain, every day was a nice day. General Ba wasn't sure if it was because of her king's new position as the Victorious Fighting Buddha, but she wasn't going to complain. Especially not with the little heir at her side!

"What's that?" Qi Xiaotian asked, pointing at a little pond with beautiful water lilies. They had entered the questioning stage of toddlerhood, pointing to all sorts of plants and flowers and asking "What's that?" Usually, Sun Wukong would be handling this. However, he had some duties to attend to and since Ba wasn't really doing anything, she had been asked to babysit.

"Those are water lilies," Ba said, moving to grab one and show the heir. Then a shadow fell over her.

"Ahem."

Ba turned around and looked up.

The Demon Bull King, dressed in armor, glared down at her.

"...hello." Ba wasn't really sure what had happened on the journey. She knew that the sworn brotherhood had been called off technically. And him, showing up out of the blue in armor, was probably not a good sign. She grabbed Xiaotian. "And goodbye!"

And then she was taking off.

Xiaotian whimpered in her ear as Ba ran through the jungle. She didn't let that stop her.

Not until she was slamming into the clearing where the court was being held.

"General Ba?" her king said, standing up. That was when Qi Xiaotian began to cry. Then her king was there and gently prying the little toddler off her shoulder with a calming "Hush, bud, I'm here...General Ba," He turned to her. His eyes were glowing red. "What happened."

"The Demon Bull King is here, my king." Ba was quick and efficient with her words. "I do not know why. He snuck up behind us."

Sun Wukong stared before an explosion rocked the entryway, revealing the bull king in all his glory. Xiaotian's sobs grew louder as her king pulled out the staff. Ba yanked out her own weapon, hearing Marshal Liu and Ma and General Beng do the same. "What are you doing here, Brother Ox?" the king called.

Strangely, the bull demon pulled out no weapon. Instead, he peered at Qi Xiaotan before nodding to him. "Is that your child?"

The heir peered their little face up from the king's shoulder at the question. "...yes." Sun finally said. "Why?"

Then DBK reached behind him...

And pulled out Red Boy. Who was looking very confused. Ba could relate. "I told my princess that there was no way your offspring could compare to my fantastic child. And I now have proof!"

Silence.

"...this is why you dragged me out of Master Guanyin's garden-?"

"Wait, hang on." The king chuckled, putting away the staff. "You mean to tell me that you think that," He nodded to Red Boy, whose brows furrowed like he was unsure whether to be offended. "Is any match-up to this precious little flower bud?" To cheer from the surrounding monkeys, he held up Xiaotian, who had stopped crying to instead stare at the Demon Bull King and his heir.

"Who's that?" they finally said.

"That is Red Boy," the king cooed, pulling them close to rub his cheek against theirs. "And his silly idiot of a father."

Steam burst from the bull demon's nose before he bellowed "How dare?!" He set down Red Boy to pull out several portraits. Ba peered at them and, yep, those were baby pictures. "My son is a spectacle!"

"Oh yeah? Well, my kid..."

The marshals and the generals relaxed as the two kings began to argue. Ba gently took Xiaotian from Sun Wukong's hold, holding the toddler close. "We have snacks," she said to Red Boy. "Would you like some?"

Red Boy eyed the two arguing kings.

"Yes please."

#my writing.#LMK #Lego Monkie Kid #Monkie Kid #General Ba #Sun Wukong #Demon Bull King #Qi Xiaotian #Red Son #Red Boy #prompt fic #prompt fill #fic #fanfic #fanfiction

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admirableadmiranda · 2 years

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Hi...if you don't mind me asking, can I ask, who are your top 5 favorite characters from MDZS? And why?

And your top 5 favorite moments from the novel? Sorry if you've answered this before....Thanks..

Hello lovely! I am always happy to gush about this novel, so there's no need to apologize or feel bad, you've just given me an excuse to talk about this book I love so much!

My top five favorite characters are: *insert drum roll please*

1.) Wangxian. I could not pick either of them above the other. They are yin and yang, night and day, summer and winter. It is not right to have one without the other. They are brighter for having both.

2.) Nie Huaisang. Ahh, my lovely Headshaker, our one true morally grey character, the secret mastermind hiding behind a mask and a fan. My nickname is even because of him. He's why my bunny friends call me Sangsang.

3.) Jin Ling. He wasn't my favorite when I started out, but seeing his journey, growing to understand him and admiring how he has such a strong good heart under the anger and hatred his uncles taught him that they couldn't snuff it out and the second someone showed him how to be better he took the chance, I really admire how brave he was and how he really wants to be a good boy. My honking peachick.

4.) A-Qing. Another later addition to my rankings, but honestly she's my favorite female character in the entire book. Fierce, loyal, protective and clever, she almost makes Yi City for me entirely on her own, and I love the Yi City arc a lot. In a better post Sunshot Campaign or No War AU, I could honestly see her as being the first real candidate for learning Modao from Wei Wuxian because they have that same sort of fierce moral compass when it comes to people, that duality of kindness and yet not being blinded or stalled by it. She's so fascinating and I adore her.

5.) Wen Ning. Unlike the previous two, he has been one of my great loves since I read the book the first time. Quiet, shy, reserved, fierce, unrestrained, protective, I love that he is genuinely gentle and loving and so, so very protective of Wei Wuxian from the beginning, and that means he won't hesitate to step in even if it means Wei Wuxian will be angry at him. Long before Lan Wangji was ready to stand in that light, Wen Ning was there. He committed treason, he killed hundreds of people, he was so loyal and loved Wei Wuxian so much that even with the needles in his head the Jin couldn't overcome it enough to use him. And just because he chooses to set out on his own path at the end does not mean that love is lessened or means any less to Wei Wuxian. They are the true brothers of the heart of the story, and I will stand on my yiling siblings hill and argue till my voice gives out that Wei Wuxian was always happier with the Wens than the Jiangs.

Oh dear this is already getting so long and I haven't even gotten to my favorite moments yet, hang on lemme do a quick cut so I don't completely overwhelm people's dashes. See what I mean by I have so much to say

As for my favorite moments...

1.) Dreams Come True. The whole extra. Every word of it. They're on a date! They're having a wonderful time! Lan Wangji keeps flirting and being unable to stop smiling! Wei Wuxian keeps falling more and more in love with him over all these tiny adoring things! They go on a romantic boat ride and we get some of the most adoring things I've ever read in a book said between the two of them. It makes it all feel worth it. Whatever may come, I know that they will be happy together forever.

2.) The Guanyin Temple Hostage Party, as evidenced by the fact that I have a whole silly name for it. It has it all! Dramatic love confessions! Dramatic betrayals! Jiang Cheng trying to be dramatically betrayed and only being dramatically betrayed by the fact that he has been an asshole the entire time! My favorite villain gets offed by my second favorite character! And has his reputation absolutely wrecked! It was long overdue, but Huaisang made it hurt. And then Wangxian just run away to get married rather than let anything ever separate them again. It is 13 chapters of emotional climax and I adore it.

3.) The road trip to Yiling. It's the calm before the storm, but it's such a lovely calm. More than anything it is just Wangxian being inexorably drawn closer and closer together until there is no other answer but collision. There is a comfort and intimacy to all of their actions, and for just a moment there is nothing but them, their donkey and the open road ahead.

4.) Meeting Mianmian again. This one doesn't need much explanation, it's just really nice to see the newlyweds together, and then meet the other person in Wei Wuxian's first life who stood up against the mob of the cultivation world and stuck to her morals rather than follow the crowd and see that she was rewarded for it. She's happily married with a child and out nighthunting for people who need it. And then it ends with Lan Wangji being teased for drinking vinegar and being lured into keepaway and then kisses. It's very warm and soft.

5.) Any time we have Wei Wuxian and the Multi-Clan Duckling Squad. He is happy and free and unreserved with Wen Ning and Lan Wangji, but bring out the children and suddenly we are faced with a whole new side of Wei Wuxian that bring me utter joy: the stern parent. Diminished is the teasing and the relaxed attitude, if he tells you something he expects you to remember it. If you ask stupid questions you get sarcastic answers. If Hanguang-jun is letting you run around scaring people he's the one scolding you for making a mess. I love that after seeing Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian around each other for so long the first time we see them actively teaching together we suddenly get doting parent strict parent and not in the direction we would necessarily expect.

But really, I just adore this book so much. I'm so happy I discovered it and I hope it continues to bring me joy for a long time.

#mdzs #wei wuxian #lan wangji #jin ling #a-qing #nie huaisang #wen ning #guanyin temple hostage party #the multi clan duckling squad #asks #long post #look I have a lot of feelings about this book #and all of them positive #including my positive feelings about making sure canon jiang cheng is more recognized in the fandom #my salt is made up of tears of positivity

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skellebonez · 3 years

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Prompt 63; Sun Wukong and Sandy, becayse Sandy deserves to be pissed at Sun Wukong for leaving as much as Pigsy.

So this prompt was sent in well before S2E8... and now I have the chance to use that as a very fun basis for my own head canons! (Even though 1 is very debatable.)

I believed you! I stood up for you! Defended you! And you lied!

It was only a matter of time before Wukong was confronted by Sandy. The moment he saw the aquatic demon after the defeat of the Spider Queen at the Lunar New Year festival he knew that he was on borrowed time. Now, on the air ship... drone... thingy, there was no time left and he knew that Sandy would eventually want to talk. Alone.

"You lied to us, left us, and we couldn't find you."

"... I thought you wouldn't come looking for me," Wukong said, looking down over the edge of the ship. It was dark, well into the very early hours of the morning, and he couldn't sleep. Apparently he hadn't been the only one, Sandy sneaking up behind him. He must have been more off his game than he realized.

"You're a dumbass," Sandy retorted back at him, tone more tired and sad than anything else this time. He was more blunt than Sandy had ever heard him around MK or the others. "Of course we would have looked for you. We're brothers."

"I know that now," Wukong admitted. "I just... I guess I wasn't thinking clearly. That's not a good- no, there isn't an excuse for just leaving like that."

"Look, I get it," Sandy continued on, moving to stand right beside his once-brother. "In a way, now at least. You'd just fought someone you used to consider a sworn-brother for the second time. Had to do to him what was done to you to keep him from hurting people. But you lied to us."

"I know."

"You told us before you left that you'd come back and you didn't!"

"I know!"

"I believed you! I stood up for you! Defended you when people said you were never going to come back! And you lied!"

"I know!" Wukong snapped, louder than Sandy had raised his own voice, teeth barred and growling under his words. "I know, Wujing, I lied to you! But I can't take that back!"

Sandy pinched the bridge of his nose, taking in a deep calming breath before continuing. "... I know too. What's past is past, we can't change it now. We just have to work with what we have."

"... that sounds like something master would say."

"It was something he said." Sandy sighed. "He probably misses you a lot, you know. I hadn't been up there in years... couldn't bring myself to step foot there when Red Son took us there to get the ingredients for the anti-venom."

"I can't believe no one has gone after you all for that... maybe master had a hand in that."

"Or they're still scared of The Handsome Monkey King who once wrecked Havoc in Heaven," Sandy said with a ghost of a smile. Wukong couldn't help but chuckle at that, soft and almost as much of a ghost. "But I think he did. They probably know... at least a bit. Definitely that you're back and about MK. Everything else, I don't know."

"If they did I think we wouldn't be in this mess right now." Wukong bit his lip, scowling. "I should have swallowed my pride and asked for help. Gone to master or Guanyin or even the Jade Emperor."

"But what's past is past," Sandy repeated. "We work with what we have."

Wukong laughed again, this time cold and bitter and hollow.

"What we have is a shapeshifted super strong celestial who doesn't like to fight, a really kick ass dragon girl, just some guy who knows way more than he should, two monkies who don't even have half their powers anymore, and..." He trailed off, looking back at the entrance to the inside of the ship. "And..."

"Pigsy."

"Bajie," Wukong countered. "But... not Bajie anymore."

It had been a shock when he had seen the four of them at the Lunar New Year festival. It was like the past had returned with a new coat of paint and slapped him in the face.

Mei had the same aura as her ancestor, Bai Long Ma, radiating off her in droves. She even looked similar to one of the dragon's multiple human forms. And she and MK looked inseparable.

Tang looked... a lot like Tripitaka. Even shared his name, to an extent. He didn't have same aura as his master but there was something about him that made him wonder if maybe he could be a distant relation.

Sandy was Wujing. That was much was clear to him. He looked different but his voice was the same as always and Wukong could see his power shining through him so clearly.

And then there had been Pigsy. He looked so much like Bajie and yet so different and Wukong thought he must have just been a fluke. But no... no, he chanced a quick glance at them all with his True Sight and could see them for who they were.

'Bai Long Mas dragon aura. Tang a normal human. Sha Wujing's powerful water demon visage he couldn't forget.

And Zhu Bajie's too.

"Does he... remember anything?" Wukong asked, watching a flock of birds keep pace with the ship. Or bats, possibly, given the lack of sunlight. He couldn't tell, much like how he couldn't tell how far away they were. Not anymore... Not yet.

"No," Sandy answered.

"Good." Wukong breathed out a shaky breath, remembering how it felt when the chef had berated him. It felt so... similar he almost thought... "Good... it's better for everyone if he doesn't. Especially MK, he wouldn't... he wouldn't take knowing one of his actual parental figures had been lying to him. It's bad enough you and I do."

The two fell into a silence, watching as the sun began to rise above horizon. It was almost nice. For a moment.

"How did he die?"

Sandy tensed. "Is this really the conversation you want to have at sun rise?"

"Yes," Wukong answered immediately, no hesitation in his voice whatsoever. "I've put it off too long. I'll learn eventually, it's pretty clear we're not going to be able to run from our past for much longer, so why put it off anymore?"

The silence returned once again as the two watched the mountains they slowly flew over gain an orange-gold hue of early morning. Wukong used to love watching the sunrise, either up early enough that it was just him and Tripitaka or centuries later on his mountain home with his monkey court. No matter what happened? If he was able to watch it he felt like things would be alright.

Now the sight left a bittersweet taste in his mouth that he wasn't sure would ever leave.

"Battle," Sandy eventually said. "After you left... a lot of demons were angry, far angrier than before, and there was no order with DBK locked under that mountain. It wasn't nearly as bad as before but it was more widespread and chaotic. Bajie and I left our new stations in the Celestial Court and returned to the mortal realm to protect the humans and he..." He sighed, leaning forward on the railing to look down, away from the sunlight. "We underestimated an opponent. Bajie took a hit meant for me and... I-I don't remember much after that."

"I can imagine why," Wukong said softly. He'd seen how into battle Wujing get when truly angered, losing himself in rage until his opponent was no more. It only ever happened when one of them had been hurt.

"When I realized that I had... When I went to check on him he was already gone," Sandy continued, wringing his fingers together. "If I had just worked on my anger sooner, long before then, maybe I would have left with him and he wouldn-"

"No," Wukong interrupted firmly, standing straight to glare at Sandy. It wasn't an angry glare, but a sad one. "No, Wujing, you have no way of knowing how bad he was... it may not have... never mind, let's not think about that."

"Go on, say it," Sandy insisted, gripping the railing. "I think I've needed someone to say it for a long time because I can't say it to myself. Please."

"... he... he may have already been gone before you blacked out," Wukong said softly, watching as Sandy tensed and wincing as the railing warped and groaned under his grip.

But eventually he calmed, relaxed and loosed that grip and sighed.

"He probably was," he admitted, standing straight and watching the clouds above them. "... I'm still pissed at you."

"You should be," Wukong said as he pushed away from the railing with a pained groan. His wounds still hurt, treatment and time or not. "You deserve to be. I made a lot of mistakes."

"You can make up for most of them." Sandy stretched, offering a half smile. "You've been trying already. I can tell how much you're trying to watch MK when he thinks you aren't around now. And how you've been bugging Pigsy."

"Even if he doesn't remember I guess I... wanna make up for lost time," Wukong said with a chance of a smile of his own.

The two of them turned to head inside, Sandy moving slower than usual to accommodate for the king's slower gait with his limp. His injured knee would take a long time to heal without his usual powers now.

"I'm going to tell them," Sandy suddenly said as he reached to open the door. "About me being Wujing. We can't afford to keep running from our pasts, brother. Not anymore."

The way Sandy said his name, as soft and welcoming as he ever had on their journey made Wukong pause. He almost surprised himself when he felt something running down his left cheek, realizing that his now injured eye made it harder to hide how he felt when the damaged tear ducts and added sensitivity let the tears run free.

"Not anymore," he agreed.

And Sandy opened the door and they headed inside.

#monkie kid #lego monkie kid #gen fic #hurt comfort #sad fic #sun wukong #monkey king #sandy #sha wujing #prompt fill #wukong: gets a damaged eyebrow in canon #me: it's free real estate to project all my vision issues onto one monkey man

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winterpower98 · 3 years

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Ok but what if the Traffic trio go back in time and meet the Jorney to the West crew?

This is the Time-traveling shenanigans I was waiting for LET’S GO! (I haven't finished the book yet, I'm just at chapter 14, so the JTTW crew might seem a bit OOC)

Ok, first of all, let’s say that the Traffic Light Trio meets the JTTW gang after they had to deal with Red Boy (I’ll call him that for now just so it’s easier to tell him apart from RedSon).

So our band of colorful kids finds themself pretty much lost in what looks like a forest with no idea of when they are. They opt to walk around for a bit in the hopes of finding something that might help them, and they do find someone.

Not too far away from where they appeared there’s a camp with a water demon and a pig demon bickering amongst themselves and a meditating monk.

Surely these aren’t the same monk and demons that traveled west with the Monkey, right? Aaaaaaaannndd MK is already gone talking to them. Great

The monk and the demons are startled by the new human but, thanks to MK’s charm, they quickly fall into a pleasant conversation.

“What bring you here in the middle of the woods young one?” “Oh, me and my friends, we ... we’re traveling to a nearby town! Yup, that’s it!” “And where are your companions?” “They’re ... looking for food”

So now Red and Mei are left hiding somewhere (there’s no way in hell Red is going anywhere near the monk, especially because he couldn’t see where the monkey was) while MK happily chats with the pilgrims.

Meanwhile, hidden by the tree’s fronds, the Monkey King silently observed everything happening. He saw the three younglings appear out of nowhere and he saw the demon and the girl hide not too far away from their camp. The only reason why he didn’t spring down and took care of the demon yet was because of the young boy that was chatting with his master.

There was something about the kid's aura that was so familiar. Almost like looking into a mirror, but not quite like a reflection.

So, now truly curious about this kid, the monkey jumped down from his hiding spot and in front of the boy.

Now, the first reaction that the monkey expected out of the kid was panic, but what he got instead was eyes full of admiration and his name pronounced without any fear.

So this kid not only knew who he is, he's not scared of him? Well, there's a first time for everything.

And the Monkey wasn't the only one surprised by the boy's odd behavior, his gleefulness did not go unnoticed by the other demons and the monk (who already knew this was going to bost the monkey's ego by several times and would probably cause some problems).

Wukong, now truly amused by the kid's antics, asked him to call for his friends and MK's happy-go-lucky attitude was quickly replaced by hidden panic.

He knows that Monkey King and his companions had to fight RedSon and would surely recognize him even if he's several centuries older now. The problem is that he doesn't know if the pilgrims had already fought Red or not, and now that he thinks about it he should have tried to gather that information while he was talking to the monk.

So now MK is trying his best to come up with an excuse as to why his friends couldn't come to meet them, and he was utterly failing!

Seeing that things were going downhill for her friend, Mei decided that they might as well be done with it, and went up to the camp dragging behind a complaining Red.

As soon as the green girl and the fire demon were in sight, the pig and the fish took a defensive stance while the monk became several shade paler. The monkey, on the other end, kept looking rather amused.

"What are you doing here? I thought Guanyin had looked you up somewhere. Don't tell me she let you out on good behavior?" And before Red could spat out some insult at the monkey, Mei slapped a hand over his mouth and answered for him. "Yup! Red here is been a really good demon! He's hanging out with us now!"

With everyone a tad bit calmer after Mei's lie, the two groups sat at the opposite sides of the camp and kept for themself.

Now, after the whole incident with the young version of the Traffic Light Trio, the two mortals and the demon find out that the artifact that allowed them to go back in time needs a whole day to recharge before it could be used again. Which meant that they had to wait till the next night before they could go back home.

Be in the past for a whole day wasn't a problem for MK, the change of seeing his idol in his glory days was too good to past, but Mei and Red were less thrilled about it. Zhu Bajie had been looking at Mei since she set foot out in the camp and, while she wasn't exactly new to this type of attention, she definitely wasn't a fan of it. Red was currently having a glaring contest with the Monkey King, Wukong's gaze clearly saying "try anything funny and I'll make you taste my iron rod" and Red responding with a "fuck you" look.

The air was dense between the two parties and it stayed that way up until everyone went to sleep.

The next day the JTTW gang set to travel again, followed by the two mortals and the demon, in silence.

But the silent peace was interrupted in the afternoon when demons decided to attack the traveling group with every intention of kidnapping the holy Tang priest.

Mei and Red had no problems defending themself, one with her jade sword and the other with fire, but MK was not doing so good.

Since they met the pilgrims MK did his best not to use any of Monkey King's powers, because he didn't know if it would mess up with the flow of time if his mentor find out he had a successor before he decided he wanted to retire.

So he was now fighting with his bare hands and he was getting quickly tired out.

Red: Noodle boy what are you doing! Use the staff! MK: But, Monkey King- Mei: We'll deal with him later!

And so, the Monkie Kid manifested the as-you-wish cudgel and set off to fight again.

Now, the appearance of a second golden staff did not go unnoticed. It distracted Sandy so much that a demon manages to get a lucky hit on him, but he was quickly killed by the fish.

After the fight was over, and the demons that weren't killed run away, the monkey approached the MK.

The soon-to-be mentor standing right in front of his successor, like a specular image, and asked him why he had an identical version of his golden cudgel.

Knowing full well that lying to Wukong would be futile (if not extremely stupid) the kids had no other choice but to tell them the truth.

And so they explained everything, from MK becoming the monkey's successor, to Red joining their side, and the artifact that led them here.

The monk and the pilgrims listen to them intently, but they didn't truly believe the story these kids were telling them.

When the Traffic Light Trio was done explaining their story, Wukong started to laugh. And not because he didn't believe them, on the contrary, he was sure that 99% of what they told them was true! No, the Monkey was laughing because "he wanted to retire". That had to be a joke right? Why the hell would he ever retire!?

After the monkey's laugh finally subsumed both parties started to happily chat, with the pilgrims asking questions about the future and the youngest three doing their best not to answer those questions.

But sadly, the time artifact was finally fully charged and it was time for the Traffic Light Trio to go back home.

So after some quick goodbyes and farewells (very quick on Wukong's part) the two mortals and the demon grab a hold of the artifact and get transported back home.

Several days after their little trip back in time, MK can't get Wukong's words out of his head. "Why would I ever retire?"

With time people can change and MK knows how much the Monkey King changed during his journey west, but there was a weird feeling that went along with the words the young monkey spoke, and he couldn't stop thinking about it.

#someone who can actually wirte #I beg #please turn this mess into a fic #lego monkie kid #monkie kid #monkie kid au #time artifact au #journey to the west #jttw #traffic light trio #winter answer #winterpower98

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wujificrec · 4 years

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Author Highlight: valastsacrafice

Hi everyone! Here is an author highlight for @valastsacrifice /valastsacrafice who is new to tumblr and the MDZS/The Untamed fandom. Give them a read and let them know what you think on their AO3 or tumblr account :)

Our Fairytale Love by valastsacrifice

PG | Lan Zhan/Wei Ying | Multi-chapter: 9.8k | Notes: ModernAU, business, humour, fluff, kissing, love at first sight, warning //attempted kidnapping, happy ending

Summary:

Wei Wu Xian has everything. A beautiful sister, an angry grape of a brother, an adorable son, a blooming business and a luxurious life. The only thing missing? A partner. When Wei Wu Xian meets Lan Wang Ji for the first time, sparks fly. Now all he needed was a fairytale love story.

Truly, Madly, Deeply by valastsacrifice

PG | Lan Zhan/Wei Ying | Multi-chapter: 39.4k | Notes: Canon divergence, mpreg, pregnancy, one night stand, implied sexual content, fluff, humour, angst, hurt and comfort, night hunt, warning //mentions of rape, happy ending

Summary:

Eight months from the events of the Guanyin Temple, things have gone back to normal. Almost. Wei Wu Xian has returned to Yunmeng Jiang to mend his relationship with his brother Jiang Cheng with the help of his sister, Jiang Yan Li. Lan Wang Ji is now the temporary Chief Cultivator, waiting for his brother Lan Xi Chen to return to his duties. Eight months, since WWX had last seen the man that he loved but did not have the courage to confess. But when a strange night hunt brings them together, will the result of it bring them closer to each other or push them farther apart?

Canon Divergence- AU. Jiang Yan Li is alive. She did not die in the battle against WWX. Her death was completely undeserving! So here she lives mainly because she’s one of my favorite characters and I want her to live. She lives in Yunmeng Jiang with her brothers Jiang Cheng and Wei Wu Xian while Jin Ling is currently the sect leader of Lanling Jin.

WangXian- The Beginning by valastsacrifice

PG | Lan Zhan/Wei Ying | Multi-chapter: 11.4k | Notes: Canon divergence, fluff, humour, baby adoption, implied sexual content, a little OOC for LWJ but seems cute

Summary:

Wei Wu Xian and Lan Wang Ji as they embark on the journey of love.. After all trials and tribulations, Wang Ji decides that it's high time to profess his love and bring his soulmate back home.

I have yet to read these fics so please feel free to let me know what you think!

Plus, if you would like to have your fics highlighted or put up on this blog, please message me!

#authorhighlight #valastsacrifice #wangxian #lan zhan/wei ying #wei ying #lan zhan #pg #multichapter #canondivergence #modernau #mpreg #humour #hurtandcomfort #happyending #fluff #angst #to read #read list #admin smeuse

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garywonghc · 6 years

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Are Manifestations & Mediums Of Bodhisattvas & Buddhas Around?

by Various Dharma Protectors

An interestingly phrased question arose recently – ‘Why do mediums not get any Buddha to answer their devotees’ questions?’ Before there is further confusion, we should be clear that the use of mediums is not a Buddhist practice. Instead, for Chinese culture, it is part of folk religion. There are naturally irreconcilable aspects of different religions, which is why they are different in the first place and remain so. In this sense, even if a medium of any religion claims to be able to ‘channel’ a Buddha or Bodhisattva through him or her, this is entirely frowned upon by all orthodox Buddhists with right understanding. The only exception is the traditional but very exclusive use of a few trusted oracles in Tibetan Buddhism involving time-tested and dedicated Dharma protector deities (who are not Buddhas or Bodhisattvas) for very special matters.

Even if there are some who claim advice from some mediums believed to represent Buddhas and Bodhisattvas to be effective, Buddhists should never consult their services. There are two kinds of ‘mediums’ – the false ones and the genuine ones. As it is difficult to discern one from the other, one might be paying (or contributing ‘donations’) while being tricked. For false mediums, there are again two kinds. The first are the downright fakes, who consciously put on theatrical acts to fool devotees to part with their money. The second are somewhat but not total fakes, who subconsciously auto suggest themselves, often also through peer pressure of those who believe they are special, to have the ability to call upon ‘higher beings’. Such ‘mediums’ are still false, even if they have no intention to deceive, and do wish to help others.

Despite power of the auto suggestable mind, that can even express seemingly superhuman feats of endurance, there are still obvious physical and spiritual limits. If a medium, say, is supposedly possessed by an ‘animal-god’, such as a ‘monkey’, why is he or she not able to climb and swing from trees, somersaulting like a real monkey? Unless… the medium was not really possessed by such a being, while being unable to fully auto suggest oneself to believe such feats can be done. Even if capable of some acrobatics, there is the puzzle of how a character from a fictitious novel can assist real people with real problems. If the Monkey King in ‘Journey to the West’ (which is not a proper Dharma text) was written to have learnt the Dharma, this begs the question of why, if he is real, his ‘mediums’ do not preach it directly, which would surely lead to full house classes attended by thousands.

Even if a medium is genuine, he or she will not be able to ‘summon’ the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas – as the enlightened ones never taught that they are summonable through any medium. In fact, in the Surangama Sutra (楞严经), Sakyamuni Buddha, our fundamental teacher, clearly instructed Bodhisattvas and Arhats who manifest in various manners in our world to aid us to never ever reveal their true identities while alive, at most disclosing who they are just before (or after) departure. While this might sound deceptive, the purpose of this is exactly the opposite – for preventing legitimisation of self-proclaimed identities for deception by anyone. Imagine if the Buddha taught instead, that all Bodhisattvas and Arhats should announce who they are to the whole wide world. Not that there are not already many, there would be even more with bold false claims.

Therefore, anyone who puts up an actual or virtual signboard (e.g. biodata, namecards, websites, posters, tickets, books, magazines) claiming oneself to be a Buddha, Bodhisattva or Arhat is directly not a true Buddhist, much less a Buddhist teacher or spokesperson for any of the enlightened, who are explicitly forbidden to claim any enlightened identity in our era. As the Buddha gravely put it, ‘Thus as I have said, is named the Buddhas’ speech [teachings]. Not thus as said, is Papiyan’s [Mara: the evil one] speech.’ (‘如我所说，名为佛说。不如此说, 即波旬说。’) Those who make audacious claims and remain in this world are out to gather fame and fortune. Such worldly ambitions straightaway render them spiritually impure. In some cases, false teachers have been influenced or possessed by Mara (or his minions) personally, to confuse the masses, and distract them from the true Dharma.

Genuine mediums, at most, can only ‘channel’ gods and ghosts. Even the duo can be hard to differentiate as there are some ghosts (or wandering spirits) who like to possess mediums to relay messages, while impersonating others. Helpful to some extent as they might be at times, and playful at other times, their advice is not ultimate as they are not enlightened – which is why they are ghosts. Even if a god possesses a medium, the messages conveyed are still imperfect as he or she is not a fully enlightened ‘Teacher of humans and gods’, a title reserved for Buddhas. Believability in mediums arises when they seem to know past events and current situations. This is simply because gods and ghosts (and some humans) can read the thoughts of their devotees about their past and present to limited extents, so as to give seemingly ‘relevant’ answers, that do not guarantee accurate forecast of the future.

Mediums are also surely not messengers of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas as they are usually consulted only by non-Buddhists or confused Buddhists lacking in understanding. As such, the queries presented to them are usually mundane in nature, while they are never asked profound Dharma enquiries. Thus, these mediums are never ‘tested’ on their authenticity as ‘enlightened’ spokespersons. Even if not asked, they ought to speak more in congruence with actual Buddhist teachings, using more direct references from the Buddha’s teachings to further interest in the Dharma. For instance, if a medium claims to be able to ‘summon’ Guanyin Bodhisattva, he or she should be able to expound on her teachings, such as the Heart Sutra, with incomparable clarity, delivering detailed sermons often, instead of merely advising on worldly woes.

Mediums of the like above are also never dedicated students of the Dharma, for if they are, they would have come across the Surangama Sutra teaching, which admonishes assumption of sacred identities for ‘branding’ their ‘spiritual’ consultations. Some might imagine that since the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas have great compassion, they should also manifest through mediums. Well, the enlightened will never go against the unequivocally stated Surangama teaching, as this would confuse us. Even if they really do help through mediums, they will never say they are the enlightened, which would counter that teaching. The Buddha’s warning against seeking (and being) such mediums is clear and indisputable. Even though Buddhists know others ‘borrow’ the statuses of Buddhist enlightened beings for medium practices, it does not mean this is agreeable. As these great beings originate from Buddhism, all should learn its true teachings to know what they really stand for.

The more one frequents mediums, the further one digresses from the path to Buddhahood. There would be greater refuge in gods and ghosts than in the ‘Teacher of humans and gods’ (and ghosts and all other beings). One might be asked to do practices against the Dharma too, such as animal sacrifice, which creates negative karma, aggravating existing problems. With possible addiction to medium advice for life’s issues instead of learning and applying the Dharma, this can stunt growth of personal wisdom. Most importantly, even if the advice is somewhat helpful, it does not lead to liberation, as gods and ghosts themselves are still trapped in the rounds of rebirth. With much proximity to mediums, especially those with access to real ghosts, the devotee’s karmic affinity with them might deepen, to further associate with them when being reborn.

Since summoned beings are unenlightened, they have greed, hatred and delusion to some extent. This means there might be a price to pay if their wrath is incurred, or if their expectations are not met. Praying to enlightened Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, there is no such problem. Since consultation of mediums does not ensure ideal results, and might even be dangerous, Buddhists stay clear of them. What is the alternative for those who wish to ‘look for’ deceased ones? As stated in the Ksitigarbha Sutra (地藏经), one can ask the Buddha, who has perfect compassion and wisdom, for help, before sincerely being mindful of his name. Connecting to his blessings, inspired answers will arise in the mind or in a dream so vivid that one will know it is not imagined. Mindfulness of the Dharma for diligent practice helps us much in everyday life too.

In Tibetan Buddhism, although some masters are believed by disciples to be manifestations of the enlightened, they never personally claim so. Even H.H. the 14th Dalai Lama, the most popular Tibetan Buddhist teacher, when asked if he is Guanyin Bodhisattva, says he is just ‘a simple monk’. If one comes across ‘teachers’ with repeated use of self-proclaimed titles of being such and such an enlightened being, or as a special earthly representation, it is best to keep far away. All authentic Buddhist teachers would follow the Buddha’s advice to attract the interested through the Dharma itself, not through such dubious marketing, which unfortunately easily attracts those uninformed of the Surangama teaching. Regarded as a ‘demon-reflecting mirror’ that reveals those affected by inner and/or outer demons, it must be used for self-reflection and for checking the integrity of ‘teachers’.

There are many kinds of false teachers riding on the name of Buddhism for easy gain of popularity. Some use many Buddhist terms and even speak of Buddhist sutras, mantras, meditation and such – for luring in nominal or new Buddhists who are vaguely familiar with them, to look credible, while reinterpreting them with self-concocted twists, throwing in non-Dharma in the mix that deviates from the real deal. This makes their teachings different, as if of a new tradition with exclusive ‘benefits’, while they are corrupting the actual teachings. Anything that radically differs from what the Buddha and great ancient Buddhist masters taught is almost always erroneous. Some claim to have special powers, such as being able to recall devotees’ past lives for advising accordingly – when these stories cannot be verified at all. This is how they stay off the hook.

They play mind games, making wide and thus safe guesses to suggest having predictive power, getting devotees to publicise only right guesses. Any open display of supernormal powers, not that they are real in the case of false teachers, that especially fosters the ego and distracts others from the true Dharma is forbidden by the Buddha. Those who display them are not true Buddhists. Pretending to be able to heal some is one of the easiest ways to attract crowds. If they are really so capable, why not directly visit hospitals? Any true physical healing does not lead to good rebirths or liberation from rebirth anyway. The Buddha was thus focused on being a spiritual over a physical doctor, as death is inevitable. That said, practice of the Buddha’s true teachings already can lead to natural healing due to eradication of negative karma that causes illness.

What if a ‘teacher’ who clearly flouts rules of conduct set by the Buddha seems to have some genuine supernormal powers? Well, even Mara (the most evil being in a world system) has some supernormal powers. Even ghosts, as above, can read minds. Thus, merely showing some powers does not guarantee truth of claims of being enlightened or a representative of the enlightened. It is no gauge of having real compassion and wisdom, while being bait for drawing in devotees. Since such powers can be demonically influenced, we must totally steer clear of such ‘teachers’, who might demonically influence us to be blind followers. Just as unexposed stage tricks, due to our lack of scrutinising ability should not make us think illusionists are miracle men, those who perform stunts in the name of religion should not simply be taken as real ‘saviours’.

With their bursting egos, false teachers tend to sell themselves through others, as being the ‘best’ teachers available, photoshopping to add auras of light around their pictures. With heavy international marketing, they can easily gather many of the faithful but deluded. Some use planted or incomplete ‘testimonials’ of those who ‘had’ semi-imaginary ‘healing’ effects with their ‘assistance’ to attract more. The more lavish packaging there is, the more should all be alert. The biodata of false teachers is also usually elaborate but upon closer look, is vague and untraceable to reputable and still existing people and institutions in the Buddhist community. Some appear monastic or even pseudo-monastic, especially those without a recognised lineage, or with one that disowned them. Some are established in worldly life, and tap upon this for popularising themselves as ‘Buddhist teachers’ – when these factors are not connected at all.

Some create spurious awards to praise and promote themselves. Some claim to have had special private instructions from late great teachers, so as to lean on their fame, while appearing to be their top disciples taking up the mantle. Some create fake histories through detailed (auto)biographies by their ‘devotees’, with outlandish claims of their ‘supernormal powers’ and ‘enlightened’ experiences, which cannot be proven. While ensuring such tall tales circulate, they cunningly pretend to be ‘humble’. Some even claim to have met the ‘enlightened’, who ‘endorsed’ them, which makes them their ‘equivalent’ or their ‘messengers’. Such ways of promoting the so-called ‘Dharma’, focusing on personal claims is wrong as the Buddha taught us to rely on the Dharma, instead of any personality. If a person is relied on in excess, one can easily be misled eventually.

How do the truly enlightened manifest in our world then? A great example would be Great Master Yinguang (1861-1940). Despite living a truly humble and frugal life, he was so awe-inspiring in conduct and instruction, that adheres strictly to the Buddha’s teachings, that he was posthumously conferred as the 13th Patriarch of the Pure Land Tradition by the Buddhist world, while being revealed to be a manifestation of Mahasthamaprapta [Dashizhi; Great Power Arrived] Bodhisattva. Never flashy, yet he remains prominent in his influence as an outstanding teacher. Remember – even the Buddha, who announced his true and full enlightenment, did not keep harping on his status, and let the worth of his actions and teachings speak for themselves. Egoistic imposters however, seek more attention for deluded reasons. Their demons are all clearly reflected in the great mirror of the Surangama Sutra!

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skellebonez · 3 years

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Monkie Kid Headcanons Part 2: Red Son and Demon Bull Family Backstory

Follow up to this post, with a lot more heavy thinking needed this time. Since these characters technically had backstories in Journey to the West, I wanted to really think over how to work those into what we have in the show (even though it kinda doesn’t 100% work and is really messy if you overthink it since the show throws some stuff to the wayside). This took me multiple days to work out so I hope it at least makes sense.

Warning: This one actually gets very VERY dark with emotional and psychological abuse detailed in the later half, so I am putting all of these under a read more. Seriously. I want you to be aware of this before you click that button. Do not ignore this warning please.

I PROMISE that part 3 will be a lot less heavy. I just wanted to get this out so I could finally move on from it.

First, gonna preface this with the fact we all know Monkie Kid is not 100% accurate to Journey to the West. Characters that are supposed to be dead are alive after all, and Red Son’s existence in the show itself in particular kinda makes no sense when I overthink about him. Red Boy is evil in his first appearance, but comes back redeemed way later in the novel (and with his name changed to that of an actual deity who had already existed outside of JTTW with a completely different backstory).

In reality, JTTW is fiction based on historical events and Monkie Kid is made to be a kid’s show and was never going to be accurate to the novel. Not even adaptations of JTTW are. So basically, I headcanon this: in the show, JTTW the novel exists as a highly accurate and very important piece of historical novelization (a non-fiction novel). But like most examples of real non-fiction novels (like Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood), it is not entirely accurate and there are bits and pieces that do not line up. It is, however, incredibly close to 98% accuracy and anyone in it who reads it is impressed.

That being said, Red Son did study with Guanyin for quite a few years (though he was not entirely redeemed like his book counterpart, he was getting there). He actually did learn a lot and was pretty darn happy to be under her teaching at the time. Mostly because he didn’t know what was going on outside...

Unfortunately, later portions of JTTW confirm that Red Son being taken... completely ruined Monkey King and Demon Bull King’s friendly relationship. So that, combined with other events in the Fiery Mountains, it is incredibly likely that is why DBK was so bent on ruling and taking out Wukong for good. He wanted revenge for a lot of stuff Monkey King did.

Before we get into the depressing stuff, I personally headcanon that DBK was actually just. Dead. Completely dead. That is why he went from being covered in floof to being big buff body builder man. Hair does not grow back when you are dead. Removing the staff completely revived him. I needed a silly weird headcanon in here ok?

Since Princess Iron Fan calls him her husband, not her ex-husband as he had divorced her to be with Princess Jade Face in JTTW, I think they either reconciled at some point or PJF... didn’t exist? Since LMK is a kid’s show the later is more likely... but this is my headcanon. Given her personality in the show and book I think it is possible that they mutually divorced due to losing Red Son, DBK remarried, then realized he still loved PIF and wanted to go back to her and she took him back.

We don’t actually know much about PJF so... uh... I like to think she was shockingly chill about it and is just living comfortably somewhere else now. And never wants to see Monkey King again. I hope she is living her best fox spirit life.

Also unfortunately, DBK did not stand a chance and when he was sealed it took a major toll on PIF. She was left alone, her renewed husband either trapped or dead under a mountain and her son kinda sorta still arrested by a deity. This made her more distant to everyone and a lot more cold.

When news of what happened to his father reached Red Son, he pleaded with Guanyin to be allowed to leave her teaching to stay with his mother. He knew what isolation felt like and did not wish for her to feel the same any longer. Guanyin trusted her disciple and allowed him to return to his mother permanently, if he desired. Alone.

This was a mistake. Oh boy was this a mistake. Heaven should have either sent someone else completely or had someone accompany Red Son to PIF to help her because this one decision is why everything in show happens.

At first things go pretty well. PIF is definitely in need of support, but she is ecstatic to see her son again. And that lasts. For a while. Until she starts to project onto Red. She starts to blame him for being captured, for not being strong enough to take out Wukong when he had the True Samadhi Fire, for not being there to keep DBK from leaving her, for not being there to help his father fight Wukong a second time. Everything is Red Son’s fault now.

This simmers for a while before it starts to come forth to the surface. She starts being colder and more distant and giving Red little jabs in their conversations. She says them so sweetly it always takes Red a second to register what she says.

“Oh Red Son, if only your father were here to see this. Too bad you weren’t there to save him.” “I love you my son, even if you can be useless at times.” “Princess Jade Face would have loved you I bet, but you were far too busy with the celestials to visit. I understand.”

This starts to wear Red down after a while, until he starts to believe his mother. He WASN’T there when he father was defeated, he COULD have taken care of Wukong, he WAS the reason his father left his mother. She was as warm and loving to him as she was when he was a small child when he came back but now? Now she’s as cold to him as anyone else.

She is never outright physically abusive, that is below her in her mind. But other things? Like not having his meals prepared along side hers? Insulting him as casually as saying the sky is blue? Pointing out every mistake he makes when writing or working on a project? Taking his things and “losing” them, only to “find” them days later in a place she told him to look and telling him he needs to be more careful? “Mistakenly” locking Red Son in his room and ignoring his yells and pleas to be let out? Those are on the table.

And this is when he becomes obsessed with getting back in her good graces and starts to push aside his teachings from Guanyin. He just wants his mother back.

His mother does not come back... but his old self does.

Guanyin does not learn of this until long after it is impossible to convince Red Son to leave his mother. She has the kneejerk reaction to just take him back by force but... for some reason she does not. She lets him stay. Perhaps she does not want to make the wrong decision again. Perhaps she feels she taught him everything she could. No one really knows. She does not discuss this.

After a while PIF does lessen her emotional and psychological abuse, once she is certain Red Son will never leave her. She even starts to treat him nicely, like her son who she always loved, like a mother again, even praises and defends him from others again (and Red Son eats it up because this is exactly what he wanted and just fuels his determination to prove himself and stay in her good graces). And at the time the show begins she has come to terms with the fact Red Son was not, in fact, at fault for anything and even regrets this portion of her life.

Make no mistake, however, her treating him less bad, even well at times, now does NOT in any way absolve her of how she treated him in the past. She is still abusive and she has done nothing that could truly set anything right. She still calls him things like “her sweet useless boy” and pulls shit like the racing episode. It’s not really any better. It’s just not actively as bad as it used to be at the moment.

DBK in show did not notice how PIF had changed because in the pilot he was too distracted with being revived and as the show went on he was too distracted with the power of the White Bone Spirit calling to him.

Upon a rewatch he actually seems to be under WBS’s thrall multiple times before episode 10, such as the racing episode where we can clearly see his eyes glowing with possession blue, and I think this affected his personality a bit. Not much, I think he was still neglectful and cold to Red Son from the get go, but WBS probably exacerbated the worst parts of his personality long before taking over completely.

But I think he sure does notice NOW that the thrall no longer has him. Whether or not he does anything about this is up in the air, however. It is entirely possible he falls fully into neglect and does nothing to stop anything.

Red Son knows, very deep down, that his father is neglectful and his mother is abusive. He knows. He just won’t admit that not even demons are like this to their children. Won’t admit that he doesn’t deserve it, that he never deserved it. Because he loved his mother deeply before he left. He loved her when she convinced him he did. And he still loves her, and his father. He’s stubborn. He doesn’t want to give up on that.

It is going to take a LOT for someone to show him that he deserves better. But having his father back has not been everything he had hoped it would be and now... now it may be possible for someone to reach him. At least convince him that SOMETHING needs to change.

#I am warning you now #if you read tags before clicking read more #there is a lot of depressing shit and angst in here #monkie kid #lego monkie kid #red son #demon bull king #dbk #princess iron fan #pif #white bone spirit #wbs #headcanons #seriously #everything from 10 down is heavy #DBK and PIF are bad parents #that is going to be a recurring tag on this blog #get this family into therapy they need it #I'm going to be transparent here in the tags #i don't write this kind of stuff without either a lot of time and research #or personal experience #in this case it is both #I am basing how red son feels on how I used to feel in my own family relationship #I actually use my personal experiences #good and bad #for a lot of my writing #so I know exactly how messed up this dynamic is and that he needs outside help #i also know that if he does get outside help? He'll be ok #I promise he at least ends up ok in rainy talks #queued

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