#hi maq

[dats-hq]

Kaito, Aoi, and the Importance of Digimon Survive's Intertexuality Across Routes

Digimon Survive is such a powerful narrative because its core theme is reinforced through its very structure as a visual novel. The game's radical belief in the ability for anyone to blossom into the best versions of themselves given the right circumstances is a powerful concept, but it could easily come off as naive. To avoid coming off as naive, there must be an acknowledgement of the darkest parts of our hearts.

It's like this:

In the Truthful Ending, Kaito has some issues with anger and overprotectiveness, but ultimately develops a slightly healthier relationship with his sister. A fine snapshot of a young boy's life over the course of a few weeks, but is it a snapshot of the young boy's soul? I think not. That snapshot comes in more parts. To see how his relationship with Miu would develop in more dire circumstances, you must see Moral Route. To see how he would cultivate a more strenuous relationship with Miu in light of a heightened sense of danger in the world, you must see Wrathful Route. To see who Kaito would become without Miu's grounding presence, you must see Harmony Route.

By seeing Kaito across four dimensions, you are able to form a picture of the actual Kaito. In composite, Kaito is obviously a good person. He is motivated by a desire to protect. He is brave. He cares for people. Even his friends who he betrayed in Harmony Route could see that deep down, Kaito had the potential to be a good person. This is seen when they all wish to extend an offer of forgiveness to Kaito, even after he resolved to destroy the world. By seeing Kaito at his absolute worst, we actually see a glimmer of his potential.

(I would like to clarify that I do not believe that Kaito "redeemed himself by dying," nor is it my reading of the text that Kaito was made to die as punishment for his misdeeds. I understand how one may come to those readings of the text, but I believe it was an unfortunate and unintended implication at worst.)

Aoi is an overachiever. She's a bright young girl, and that comes with certain expectations. If one were to look at her on a very surface level, you would think that she understands the importance of the responsibilities she's been given, and she doesn't mind the extra work. That is obviously bullshit, but to some extent, this is the image she puts out into the world. Aoi is not forthcoming about her emotions, so prior to meeting Labramon, she allows herself to stoically accept an unfair burden. Her fellow students take advantage of her, and her opinion is rarely respected among the other chosen children when discussing next steps. Without the ability to assert herself, she has all of the responsibility with none of the actual power. She must work hard, but she cannot do good.

This is a shame. Aoi is motivated by a strong sense of justice. The best version of herself is one who has the confidence to set boundaries and stand firm on issues she cares about, but much like Kaito, watching her grow into her best self is merely a snapshot of a few weeks in the life of a child. To truly plunder the depths of Aoi's soul, we must look into Wrathful Route.

In Wrathful Route, we see the most explosive expression of Aoi's convictions. She learns that a sense of justice is worth nothing if you don't have power, and power is worthless if it is not used. While nobody younger than Aoi dies in Moral Route, and Miu's safety in Harmony Route is Kaito's responsibility first and foremost, Saki's safety was squarely Aoi's responsibility.

Aoi's grief over her own failure to uphold her values causes an overcorrection. She is overcome with a desire to wield the maximum possible power and realize a twisted vision of maximum possible justice.

I love the gusto, Aoi, but human instrumentality is not a healthy response to traumatic invalidation.

It's important to stress that while I love Saki and think Saki/Aoi is an adorable ship, Saki's death is not the sole cause of Aoi's mental anguish. Saki's death was the catalyst for Aoi to close herself off from the community who could have helped her. The anguish began developing years prior.

In other routes, Aoi's relationship to her sense of justice, her responsibility, and her assertiveness develop in different ways, but by examining Aoi across four dimensions, we can understand Aoi's actual self. In composite, Aoi is a good person. She has strong convictions. She is protective. She is capable. There are a lot of ways these values can shape a young girl, and Aoi deserves a life where she has a supportive community to allow her to grow into the best version of herself. Don't we all?

At the core of both Kaito and Aoi, we find good people. I like to think you'd find the same at the core of everyone in real life, too. And yet, in real life, we obviously find people who do work to make the world a worse place. In Digimon Survive, we can see the paths not taken, for better and for worse. In doing so, we see the Truth of each character.

(This is not wholly unrelated to the appeal of "the Digimon as a reflection of the human partner's true self." In Dracmon, we see Kaito's protectiveness in a more trusting and easygoing package. In Labramon, we see Aoi's supportiveness in a more assertive package.)

#digimon survive #digimon survive meta #aoi shibuya #shibuya aoi #digimon survive week #but late #day 2 cooperation #very late okay? #hi maq

[ninjasmudge]

When Macaque can take his relationship with Sun Wukong falling apart better than Megatron does with Optimus.

why cant you be more like macaque, he just beat some people up and put on plays until he felt better

anyway enjoy this niche crossover

#lego monkie kid #monkie kid #six eared macaque #transformers #megatron #tfp megatron #tfp #tf #mk #mk art #transformers prime #i was gonna draw maq and then i was like wait them robots is huge #and then i brainwaved so smoke monster macaque it is #if you asked me about whose fault the transformers wars are in general i could write you a multiple page essay #i could talk for hours and hours about different continueties blaming different things and how the war fell on both autobots and decepticon #but in tfp megs is pretty assuredly largely at fault and simply unable to entertain the idea of peace #i vow not to get into that essay here but his motivations were coming from a different place than for eg. tfa where hes much more justified #tfp was assured destruction #plus its for the joke so thats why im placing blame on him here #the joke needed it #sometimes salf care is obliterating your whole species #my art

[yen-doodles]

Princess Bai He - Sketch comic

"What's the matter kiddo? You're usually more chipper than this"

"They were asking us what we wanted to be, and I said a princess,"

"A girl in my class then said I wasn't pretty enough to be a princess.."

"Really now?"

"Mhmm"

Spends the rest of the night sewing a dress for Bai He to wear tomorrow out of SPITE.

"You may be dressed as a princess, but there's no way you'll get a prince with how ugly you are!"

"Is princess Bai He present?"

"Your carriage has arrived, your Highness"

#lego monkie kid #lmk macaque #lmk sitcom au #sitcom au #drabble #lmk au #my man is petty #he would def go ALL OUT to shut up Bai He's bully #maq works at a theatre #HE HAS MANY COSTUMES AT HIS DISPOSAL TO BE AS PETTY AS HE WANTS #he was mostly just making motifications to a dress Bai He already oened but he wanted her to have a special dress #art #artist on tumblr #sketches #sketch comic #traditional art #dad macaque

[wu-kongs]

at work. thinking of macaque being wukong's perfect little doll. not out of wukong's desire, but macaque is on some freak shit. he wants to be perfect for wukong. wants to be anything wukong needs him or wants him to be. wants wukong's hands to shape and mold him into whatever form he desires. wants wukong's hands on him. wants wukong to shove him face down into the dirt and

#mickey.txt #shadowpeach #i'm still thinking about that ask from last night #it's making me crazy #also if i didn't physically stop myself from finishing this post before i continued it would've gotten deeply uncomfortable for everyone #this really only applies to pre-journey maq btw #altho those desires are still buried in his sun dried raisin brain

[therealmaquaroonie]

i redesigned my boy so i could make a funny haha

#maq rambles #maq content #oc #ocs #oc art #his old design looked like ASS

[breadnabreadd]

✦ I saw this line and I automatically think of Cyberattack!SWK and Maq.

(Yeah the interaction line of Sombra with Cassidy of overwatch —)

✦ Macaque uses his hacker abilities just to mess up with Wukong, that's for sure.

#artists on tumblr #lego monkie kid #lmk #lmk sun wukong #lmk macaque #lmk liu er mihou #lmk monkey king #lmk au #lmk cyberattack au #lego monkie kid au #cyberattack au #lmk shadowpeach #shadowpeach

[liam-hfjone-x-bfb-au]

Hi!

I haven't posted in a bit! I do apologize! I promise I am still here, but my irl life has been crazy atm!

I am still working on the next couple pages! I promise that!

Initially I started off this project as something small but I've recently been putting more effort into the medium of storytelling for this project! That being said, I'm hoping that you all don't mind the long wait while I work on this!

Stay hydrated!

- Maq

#not a page #bfb #hfjone #au #crossover

[roadkill-raccoons]

So what maqs reaction/thoughts of mk?

I imagine they first meet via mk happening upon one of his performances and sticks around to watch.

Not much, just that he was very short

he got dragged by “bai he” to the performance because she thought he looked goofy.

#lmk #mk lmk #macaque #bai he lmk

[starsfic]

LunarTides prompt where Sandy brings maq tea after a nightmare

The cup is warm against his palms.

It's a soothing warmth, not like Wukong's arm or the Samadhi fire racing through him. It's gentle, like a cozy blanket, and Macaque sinks into it. It's gentler than the nightmare at least.

But Sandy, settling next to him with his arm around him, is even more gentle.

#my writing #Lunartides #LMK #Monkie Kid #LEGO Monkie Kid #Macaque #Sandy #prompt fill #prompt fic #fic #fanfic #fanfiction

[existing-is-bothersome]

did somebody say circus au with a side of trauma?

no? well too bad

idk if yall want more I can expand but the basics are The Brotherhood was a 6 man-traveling show until they split up. when they did macaque and Wukong were a two-man show for a while and then after a fight parted ways. Maq went on to a normal life and Wu Kong joined the highly renowned celestial circus. Wukong and Maq try to work things out but get into a big fight where Maq gets his scar. After that, they go their separate ways. Wukong joins a new rising circus called the Ring of the Monkey King and Maq joins one run by LBD.

#lmk art #lmk fanart #lmk au #lmk macaque #lmk wukong #circus #au #lmk #lego monkie kid fanart #lego monkie kid #Mako’s blog #Mako’s art

[winterpower98]

I keep thinking about the spider pheromone thing from awhile back and I humbly bring you this

Macaque clambering onto her whenever he can to rest his head on her shoulder. Purring loudly while enjoying the scent.

So for the remainder of the courting season he is rarely seen away from her because whenever she attempts to leave he makes the most pitiful chirps that she’s never heard him make before. The kind of chirps that Maq hadn’t ever heard before.

And I have the hc that Macaque just forgets to eat when he’s stressed so he’s underweight so sq takes this time to make sure the dumb monkey actually eats.

Spider Queen is having the time of her life during this season

She can cuddle and spoil Macaque with affection and the monkey doesn't protest. He looks extremely cute instead.

And he does everything she asks him to, so if she tells him to sleep or eat he actually does that

#lego monkie kid #monkie kid #shadowvenom #winter answer #winterpower98

[pointofknowreturn]

@monster-noises tagged me to list 3 albums I've been listening to lately sooo for a broad definition of "lately":

and as a treat for myself, I'm gonna talk about em

1) Exhilerating News by The Taxpayers

I've been a taxpayers fan for years and years, but their first album wasn't doing it for me initially. It's different in some particular ways from their later work, namely lacking any horns, so it's a lot more just raw DIY punk/goofpunx - but it's an absolutely stellar debut on its own, even if the band doesn't sound quite like this anymore. Rob's vocals are still distinctively emaciated, and his lyrics violently pointed. "All Conflict, All the Time" is a standout.

2) Imaginos by Blue Öyster Cult

Look, this album isn't great. But it's really fascinating to me in terms of what its trying to be, rather than the quality of the end product.

Imaginos was the culmination of 25 years of mythos-building for blue oyster cult- they'd sprinkled references to Imaginos in a lot of their earliest work, but by all accounts, record label interference meant that their later works were less esoteric and occult, and much more mainstream hard rock. Still, they slipped things by here and there, and eventually wrote out a whole concept album for the mythos. It's weird, it's lyrically clunky at times, it's confusing and messy and out of order, but by GOD it fucking rocks.

3) How to Socialize and Make Friends by Camp Cope

This album came to me as a bandcamp recommendation, and it was a near-instant favorite. Maq's vocals are just so POWERFUL, they just rip right into me and demand I feel things. "Sagan-Indiana" and "Animal & Real" genuinely blew me away.

uhh I'll tag @jo-dracona @k476live @dinobot give this a go if y'all feel like it

#texty #music talk

[ninjasmudge]

sometimes u gotta do an arena fighter au, for your health

both of them are trying to pay off a contract to the arena. swks their top fighter and brings in revenue, maq does fights too, but hes more of an information broker between the fighters and merchants on the outside (and sometimes the upper authority)

theyve just both been in there so long its like, one day they hate each other the next theyre sharing drinks, if one of thems in trouble, they go to the other one, 40/60 chance theyll help or make it worse

#lego monkie kid #monkie kid #arena au #mk #six eared macaque #shadowpeach #.....swk pierced his tongue for him #sun wukong #DANCE S DANCES I LOVED THESE DESIGNS #I JUST WAN THEM TO BE GAY AND FUN #my art #they both have fighting gimmiks and stuff this ones just made up of things i think are cool #lmk #lmk sun wukong #lmk macaque #mk art #this might be one of the only aus i have that maq can win #not. you know. fighing wise but maybe flirting wise #sometimes

[yen-doodles]

More doodles for sitcom au

Red, MK and Mei all have their strengths and weaknesses in terms of subjects

MK I find would have the most trouble out of the three of them with his classes, but mainly struggles with Math and history

Red and Mei help him with what they can, Red is definitely the better one for help than Mei though she understands emotional cues a lot better than he does

It's a team effort to tutor Mk!

However they all suck at English

Tang tutors them for English and later on maq would come in to also help with it too

Mac would also help Mei and Red with any sort of artistic type of class, mk doesn't need his help there

Also also - I am currently living for Mac's and Bai He's dynamic in this au!

Bai He was apart of LBD plot in this au

But since y'know no magic system, she wasn't LBD vessel Bai He was someone she used to get control of the law firm

Mac had planted false evidence in the owner's office and Bai He was used as a way to make everything seem more legitimate basically

Mac after everything with LBD actually went out of town because he needed to get things in order to live a more stable life and kinda just needed to think things out without damaging the main crew

He meets up with Bai He after he settles back down in the city

Mk has been the one to let him know she wanted to see him, he felt too guilty to visit her on his own merit

It just started off with him taking Bai He to the park occasionally, buying her things when they went out or her visiting the theatre he runs

Eventually Mac started getting more and more attached, though he wouldn't admit it

Bai He would ask to stay at his apartment sometimes for the night, with permission from her caretaker and it evolved into her coming over after school for a couple of hours

And after mac found out her caretaker didn't pick her up from school or when she stayed a little longer at his after school, he began talking the initiative to do that instead (grumbling to himself about how incompetent the caretaker was)

He slowly began noticing that Bai He was staying longer and longer at his place after school or how the caretaker's contact was never in his call logs when he had given Bai He the phone to call them so they knew where she was(he was at least semi-responsible)

Or how he wouldn't hear Bai He's voice talking to them even with his sensitive hearing

He didn't take note of it at first, he didn't really think it was anything out of the ordinary when she was only staying an extra hour or two

He used to stay out late when her was around her age

Plus she wasn't hanging outside like kid him was, she was inside his place and he interacted with her caregiver enough when he brought her home for them to have his number incase they didn't know

But then she started asking to stay the night more often, like it turn from once a week to three times

and her short stays afterschool that used to be an hour so he could help her with homework turned to staying closer to supper time

And then it started to slowly turn to be her staying until it was closer to seven, which made the alarm bells start really going off in his head

But he didn't ask Bai He right away about it, Mac wanted to give her the chance to tell him without him prompting the convo(also he was a coward-)

He would ask her questions like "are you sure your caretaker is alright with you coming over so often?" And "did you make sure to notify them that you're staying the night?" Bai He would answer rather quickly which made it even more suspicious but he held his tongue the best he could

Soon enough though he was getting fed up with it all, like he wasn't upset at her but he was becoming increasingly worried about her since Bai He's actions were reminding of what he used to do with SWK when they were younger

(he used to do the same thing to avoid going home and he's worried that Bai He is in the same situation)

One day he gives her his home phone to call them to ask if she could stay over, he went into another room and peeked in to see her pretend to put in the numbers before putting the phone down and going to the couch

When Mac joins her he asks what they said and Bai He replies quickly as usual

Eventually though, after he tells her he saw her pretend to call and a lot of tears, she comes clean

Mac talks with the caretaker the next morning and, after getting a verbal okay from Bai He, discuss him becoming her caretaker instead (she was basically living in his apartment anyway so why not make it official)

He signs the papers and she moves in officially

Mac doesn't tell the others, especially not SWK, that he adopted Bai He at first; he doesn't tell them until he's sure she's settled in and comfortable with him being her guardian yk incase she changed her mind about him

He would've been sad if Bai He didn't want him as a caretaker anymore but he would've accepted her decision

Anyway I think Mac and Bai He would pull some pretty awesome pranks together! Helped by the fact mac has access to a plethora of stage costumes to really do something

Halloween is their favorite time to do this

#lego monkie kid #lmk macaque #sitcom au #lmk sitcom au #lego monkie kid au #six earred macaque #human au #lmk bai he #lmk mk #lmk sun wukong #lmk red son #lmk mei #Qi Xiaotian #Liu 'Er Mihou #lmk little hostess #honestly crying over bai he and mac in this au #just ahh #i love em sm #i have more doodles of em too which I'll post later #dad macaque

[wu-kongs]

i've been in a lot of fandoms and i've had a ton of pairs i REALLY like and wanted them to be happy but shadowpeach... man... i want to torment them. i want them to suffer and drown in their baggage. i want them to be the thorn in the other's side, the chip in each other's shoulder, the crack in each other's armor.

i want macaque to hate wukong for choosing "salvation" and duty over him. i want wukong to resent macaque for the position he put him in, the the pain and destruction he caused on flower fruit mountain, for terrorizing the people in his life. i want them to beat their resentment into each other and make the other bleed and break for what the did

only after that do i want them to fix it

#mickey.txt #shadowpeach #lego monkie kid #lmk sun wukong #lmk macaque #shadowpeach makes me so normal i swear #but i also say all this as someone who wants maq to get on his knees and beg for wukong's forgiveness #like... what did he Think would happen after what he did #i mean also of course i want them to be sweet on each other and soft and happy too bc at LEAST swk deserves that #but i also like blood and bones and my faves suffering

[journeytomonkiekid]

This is just a random question, but, are you comfy if systems use your art as face claims for their alters, even with proper credit? Not Wan Ji specifically but Maq? (Srry idk how to spell his name qwq)

I prefer not, please...