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#me: gives macaque an animal companion
bluedandelion1 · 7 months
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Wukong cares about people. Macaque isn't a saint.
Alright, I've wanted to write this for a while, so here I go. English isn't my first language, so sorry for any typos.
I've been watching so many fananimations of LEGO Monkie Kid. They're all gorgeous, top of the top, excellent, chef kiss and I'm glad the fandom seems to be growing every day.
But I HATE how so many people have portrayed Wukong as an asshole who doesn't care about anyone. Love the animations, they're great but I don't think Wukong is the villain people make him out to be.
Now don't get me wrong, Wukong has made many, many, many, mistakes throughout his life. The thing is, people don't seem to realize that while he messed up, his intentions were good! "Yeah, right, then how is he such a bad mentor?" I'm gonna shut you up right there.
When MK first got the staff, he didn't know how to use it, I agree with you. But Wukong is a milennia old stone monkey who has gone through a lot on his life, getting stronger and stronger with each fight.
"Pfft, what about DBK? You can handle it! Consider it a trial"
That's what he tells MK when said boy asks him what to do with DBK, because for Wukong that fight is easy. He then reassures him that with enough confidence in himself he could take him on. He trusted MK since the first moment and even told him to consider it as a trial. He was evaluating MK during his fight to make sure he had picked the right successor.
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And just in case and most probably noticing how nervous he was on his first fight, he kept an eye out on him to make sure to intervene in case MK needed help. Wukong already knew that MK was invincible before locking away some of his powers in the second episode, therefore he was confident that he would succeed. And even if he already knew he was going to defeat DBK, he still watched over him to make sure he wouldn't get hurt.
Following this battle, in the first episode "Bad Weather", MK doesn't call for Wukong's help. He's confronting Red Son when suddenly the staff acts on its own and takes him down to the ground and who appears afterwards? The Monkey King himself! Almost as if he had sensed that MK needed some help with defeating Red Son. Almost as if he had been the one to call for the staff so he could talk with his student. Again, he showed up on his own because he cares.
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"Then what about that time he abandoned him?"
He didn't abandon him. To abandon someone is to stop supporting them, to give up completely in someone. Monkey King knew that LBD was coming back but he didn't want either MK or his friends to get hurt.
He's used to doing things on his own! I mean, on JTTW Wukong was always sent ahead to see if there were any demons that would kidnap Tripitaka. And even though he warned his companions numerous times that there were demons under the disguise of innocent people, they wouldn't believe him. So why should he tell MK and his friends that there's an enemy approaching? Every time he had warned other people of other threats, they had never believed him, so why should MK be any different?
I think that's one of the reasons why he didn't even try to defend himself when Pigsy snapped at him. Because he's used to taking the blame. What's the point in trying to do something right if you're going to be blamed for everything going wrong, regardless of how much you try to make it okay? He even tries to keep helping MK through his training with the astral projection throughout the whole season!
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So, he searched for the map that would lead him to the rings of the Samadhi Fire, knowing full well that he could end up dying.
"This wasn't supposed to happen! I thought if I could somehow get the Samadhi Fire out of you, without hurting you of course, then I could put it inside myself. Then, I don't know, use it to burn up the Lady Bone Demon or something?"
Let's remember that while it's difficult to hurt Wukong, the Samadhi Fire is one of the powers that could actually kill him. He was willing to risk his life so he'd be able to save not only the whole world, but his friends as well. Do you realize how crazy that sounds? To be willing to give up his own life to save the Earth?
He even says that he wanted try to get the ring out of Mei without hurting her.
Would someone who didn't care about anyone try to make something as painless as possible for the victim? I don't think so.
Alright, let's focus on Macaque now for a bit.
My biggest beef with this guy is that some people seem to paint him as the misunderstood character who never did anything wrong because "Oh, my best friend abandoned me and woe is me!". Yuck.
While Macaque has many good reasons to be angry at Monkey King, that still doesn't give him the right to kidnap and trick MK. It doesn't give him the right to taunt him and make him feel like shit, nor the right to manipulate him and make him think that he's not a good successor.
"Well, you know what that means! There really isn't anything special about you. You're just some kid with a heavy stick!"
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Macaque knew that if he hurt MK, eventually Wukong would come out to save him, because he knows that he'll protect him. This is a little theory of mine, but Macaque manipulates shadows, right? Who knows how many times he's watched MK from them? Because I don't think his plan to steal MK's powers was something he thought of in just one minute. No, I'm pretty sure that plan took a while to be thought of.
"Ah, MK. You really are dense, aren't you? You saw a story about a hero who got handed everything? Who didn't have to work for anything? And you thought you were the other guy? The second the hero got real power, he couldn't care less about his friends. That's you, bud."
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He tricked him into sharing his insecurities, knowing full well that MK was vulnerable and stressed out about the whole LBD situation, then blamed him for not caring about his friends. He made him doubt whether he truly cares about his friends or not or whether he was even a good person.
And we all know how hard MK's worked to try to get control of his powers, especially after he lost them when LBD took away his staff. MK can be a lot of things: optimistic, a bit smug at times, a bit forgetful... But if there's one thing I'm sure of is that he worked hard to control his powers. He even asked Wukong to limit them so he could control them better, knowing that it'd be harder but he still did it.
And let's take into account that Wukong apologized to MK for how he acted towards him. Macaque, still to this day, hasn't apologized at all. And yet, he keeps mocking Wukong and saying he's the same old Wukong, while he himself is still stuck in the past.
I get that Macaque is angry at Wukong, I really do. But if he were really so angry against him, maybe he should've brought it to Wukong himself instead of using MK. He isn't a saint. He's made mistakes as well. These two are very complicated characters who have gone through a lot, but neither of them are blameless. Macaque isn't a saint, but he does care about some people. And although Wukong has made many mistakes, that doesn't mean that he doesn't care about other people.
Anyways, to finish it off, as MK once said:
"Uh, you know you two are the same, right?"
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urlocalllama · 3 years
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Knowledge is Only Half the Battle
Possessive AU by Emily aka @urlocalllama
We check in on the Sun Family in their separated state - Macaque and his parents along with Zane were making their way to PingHua city still, and Wukong had just gotten the logistical side of what had happened to his husband so many years ago. But he's still weakened and can't do much. However, there just so happens to be a large vat of his essence nearby...
Wukong hadn't slept at all last night despite quite literally being asleep.
Macaque was distressed - he knew he was, he could feel it. The whole night he had glimpses of the memories that had been hidden under his amnesia, and they weren't good. His heart strained to leap out the window and fly to where he is and hold him. To comfort him, to ease his pain, and keep him protected.
He sat in the back, quietly feeding Zhihao as his arms gripped the body with the rage of a thousand suns, as they all surrounded the comms station for an update.
Instead of just relaying the information, Jay just played the recording: "We've gained more information on our new allies and insight into our enemy's goals - Zhang Tuqiang and Xinghou are confirmed to be Macaque's adoptive parents, having found him as a baby and raised him until the time he lost his memory and was seperated from them, which was around the age of seventeen. They have not exhibited abusive or damaging behaviors, and have instead proven to be allies.
"Our enemy is confirmed to be the current monarch of Blackmire Forest: Hei Wangzi, also known as the Black Prince. His reasons relate to his history with Macaque and it's... intense. To be as plain as possible to avoid confusion, Macaque had been kidnapped by Hei Wangzi's father at sixteen, and after the death of said father Macaque was forcefully betrothed into an arranged marriage with Hei Wangzi. Due to the Prince's abusive nature, the trauma left behind from enduring such had triggered a memory loss. Part of that was a failed attempt from Macaque to kill him - he seeks revenge against him. We do not know why he wanted Mk, however we suspect that it was due to how young Mk seems and he assumed him to be a teenager - according to Xinghou, the Prince has a long history of child abuse and pedophilia."
The shock and horror others feel at learning those things would be overwhelming.
The love of his life having his mind and body so broken from abuse that he lost all of his memories, the terror of being a kidnapped child bride... it was truly horrifying.
However, he knew that song and dance.
He's lived that song and dance.
There was a deep sorrow within him that he had to endure those things, but nothing about this shocked him.
His fear was instead centered around that monster finding him again.
The recorded message continued: "We're two days away from the village at the time of recording - we're moving on horseback, which may not be the quickest but it is the least trackable and certainly the most environmentally friendly. We have had no other encounters with hostiles. Reporting complete, ending message, stay safe."
"Oh no..." Wukong heard Mei whisper over the comms, "That's... that's...!"
"Yeah," Jay said stiffly, his cheery demeanor having been put out, "Pretty intense. I'd lose my memory if that happened to me. Hell, I'd probably WANT to lose my memory."
"However, it sounds like he's reunited with two very important people," Lloyd responded, "What's the status on the Brotherhood reaching the village?"
"It's going," Ao Lie responded, "We've had some hiccups, but nothing major. We're about a day and a half out from the village, so we should reach it about the same time Macaque and Zane do."
"I'll go ahead and send it down the communication chain to dismantle it one by one without attracting attention," Jay said, "Original plan was to meet up back at the house. Confirm?"
"No," Sanzang cut in, "Head down to the village as well - there's a larger chance we'll need you here instead of there."
"Acknowledged."
"Is Wukong there?" Sanzang asked.
"Present," Wukong spoke up as he allowed Zhihao to violently kick the empty bottle away and dig his little fingers into his shirt to press his whole body against his chest, "What's up?"
"How are you doing?"
"It's been difficult."
"I understand. Have you found anything that's helped?"
Wukong shook his head, and then realized it was audio only, so he choked out, "No. Wh-why do you ask?"
"I'll be honest with you," Sanzang sighed, "Last night, I got a little bit of service on my phone and checked on things. I noticed that Mk was online and scrolling through social media, and knowing he was sick and injured I shot him a text to see what was up. Well, the conversation didn't start off about you, but eventually he mentioned that he noticed you've been particularly pale and still exhausted after full nights of sleep. I'm checking in, y'know?"
"Mk noticed?" He said, his jaw hanging slack, "How?! What?!"
"I'm unsure, but taking care of yourself should be of upmost importance. I have that feeling again, you know the one, that you'll need to be as prepared as possible."
"I... alright."
"We need to get going again," Mei said, "Over and out?"
"Over and out." "Over and out."
There was a crackle of static, and communications cut off.
Wukong needs to be as prepared as possible...
The others broke out into hushed whispering at what they heard, leaving the room and Wukong alone with his twin sons. Wujing in particular announced he was going to check on Yueming in the garden and Garmadon deciding to peek at Mk as he slept in his room. Lloyd had shot him one last look before closing the door.
He was glad they were starting to slowly give his room back to him, now that the worries of someone harming him were lowered.
Because if he was going to be prepared?
He was going to need some privacy.
<><><><><>
Macaque had forgotten how easily they were able to pack everything away and onto a small cart behind the third horse. It was hard to believe that only thirty minutes ago he was woken up, changed out of his sleepwear and into a much more sensible set of robes, and eaten breakfast right underneath the very cloth roof that was now covering all their luggage like a tarp. He remembered some of the packing strategies his parents taught him as a child, but when he tried to help he was gently shooed away and told to sit on a tree stump and rest.
"Baba, it's alright," He tried, "I'm doing much better, I-"
"Nope, not happening," Tuqiang shook his head, "I'm not even risking it. You're incredibly vulnerable both physically and emotionally, and we don't know what level of stress you can take right now. I'd rather keep you awake and alert, especially as you've shown frequent signs of someone about to pass out."
"Besides, let us care for you," Xinghou said, stopping to wrap a blanket around his shoulders, "Not only have you been injured, but we haven't had the blessing of caring for you in thousands of years. Let us have this, okay?"
Choking up a little, he mumbled, "O-okay."
As soon as they were done packing things up, Tuqiang strode over to Macaque and double-checked on his physical well-being. Checked for a fever, any new injuries or infections, straightened up his clothes so they were comfortable, and then carefully picked him up.
"You'll be riding with me on the cart-horse. Quite frankly, despite all these years I still view you as my little boy, so I am begging for you to put up with how I'll be constantly holding you."
"Don't worry, I'm severely touch-starved," Macaque smiled slightly, "It was getting better after marriage, but oh boy did all *that* make it so much worse."
"Ah, so extra physical affection is warranted. I'm still going to intimidate your husband."
"For the love of Buddha, please do not," Macaque said half-jokingly, knowing perfectly well that all attempts at intimidating Wukong would end with the 'and I fucked your son' argument.
Xinghou held him for a few moments while Tuqiang swung up onto the horse, making sure to give him a good squeeze before handing him back.
He was sitting side-saddle, his back against the arm Tuqiang held the reigns with while the other arm wrapped around his torso protectively. His head instinctively fell against his chest,his familiar heartbeat soothing him as if he was an infant again.
"You know how to ride, right kid?" Xinghou asked Zane.
"While I am no expert, I am aware of the basics," Zane said, a mounting the horse a little too perfectly.
"Let's go, then."
With a whip of the reigns, the horses starte trotting. They were exceptionally strong, and were practically galloping along despite the heavy cart behind them. At first, the horses were trotting through the undergrowth, stamping out a path for the cart to roll. He wasn't sure when the motion rocked him to sleep, but when he opened his eyes next he was nested in Tuqiang's chest and arms, the blanket wrapped around him a little more firm and his eyes rubbing against the cloth of his shirt.
Y'know what?
Five more minutes.
And he curled up closer and fell back asleep.
...
That was when he had... an odd dream.
Thankfully, it was no nightmare. Nor was it one where he had to 'interact' with anything. He just watched blissfully as the scenario played out in front of him, although that wasn't quite accurate. It was better described as series of images, splashes of visions, swirled together in an almost hypnotizing mass.
The more he studied it, the less he understood it.
He internally squinted to try and get a better look, and he realized he was looking down a dark tunnel. Said swirling mass of imagery was something moving.
Calculating.
Thinking.
The thought pattern was familiar, but it was clearly not his own.
He last saw a faded image of golden liquid being poured into something, and a figure stepping into it, before he woke up.
...
Macaque's stomach growled loudly, his eyes snapping open wide.
"Well! I think that's a good sign that we ought to stop and eat something," Tuqiang said, patting Macaque's stomach.
"He eats and sleeps and that's just about it," Xinghou laughed, "Just like the good old days, y'know?"
"I wish all I needed to do in life was eat and sleep," Macaque muttered, "Maybe throw on the bonus of making sure my husband and children do the same, but I mean really..."
"Reject adulthood, go back to shoving things in our mouths," Tuqiang laughed as well, "Oh, what a wonderful world that would be. Let's pretend for a moment, then, and do just that."
"Here looks good," Zane helpfully pointed out a small clearing in the trees, "I personally wouldn't mind sitting on some of that soft grass..."
"I like it. Dismounting..."
They had a quiet picnic together, cooking up some cured sausages over the fire and eating them with cheeses and rice.
"We're still technically in Blackmire Forest," Tuqiang said, "So we best not linger."
"...Do you guys do this all day?" Zane asked, "I'm already going bow-legged from being on a horse for that long..."
"You can sit sidesaddle if you want," Xinghou grunted, "Eases up the pressure on your groin."
"In exchange for less than optimal control of the steed," Zane frowned.
"These are good horses, they already know what to do. They've been riding with us for the past five hundred years. Y'know, after a demon ate all our old ones."
"Oh."
"Don't look at me like that! They were old and about to die, anyways, and sometimes things happen! We can only control so much, y'know?"
"I prefer to think that I can keep a firm grasp on my future with proper understanding of probability."
"Yeah sure, you can guess what's gonna happen. But that doesn't mean you KNOW what's going to happen."
"...Fair point."
"I forgot to ask," Macaque spoke up, 'What're their names?"
"This one here," Xinghou motioned to the horse he had been riding, which was a serious bluish-black steed with a distinctive white patch on his snout and a thick white mane, "Is Yin. Y'know, because he looks like the yin from the Yinyang symbol. The one Zane's using," he motioned to the brown cow-spotted horse with a brown mane that looked like it's head was in the clouds as it nibbled on dandelions, "Is Nainiu."
"You literally just named them 'Cow'?"
"I mean, what else would you name a horse that looked like that?" Xinghou said.
"He was the one who chose the name," Tuqiang sighed, earning him an affronted look from Xinghou.
"Now that I've had my superior naming skills scathingly criticised," He said jokingly, earning him a laugh from the group, "The last one that you've been riding on is Xuehua."
"As in... snow? Literally, 'snow flower'?"
"Yes..."
The horse was completely jet black. If it was nighttime, Xuehua would look like a shadow. Even their eyes were black, and their mane was so long it nearly brushed against the ground.
"You see, Xuehua was... well..." Tuqiang stumbled, "Well... just after you were nearly killed, before we had rescued you the first time... the fire had spread all throughout the city. And it reached a little white colt, who was caught up int he flames. It had... it had run off, into the snowy mountains, and only barely managed to extinguish the flames with the cold."
"We found it on our way," Xinghou grunted, starting to stifle the flames of the fire, "It was so scared and alone... we put it with our other horses and took it back with us. I'm not surprised you don't remember Xuehua, you were... not well. And couldn't see. But she had taken a strong liking to you while you recovered, and while she finished growing she would go out to look for you every day. Hoping you'd come back."
"When our other horses died, we had gone up to the stables where she was being kept to pick out new steeds," Tuqiang continued, "And she would not leave us alone. We didn't want to bring her, she had been through too much already in her life, but we weren't allowed to walk out without her. So she's here."
And that's when Macaque felt Xuehua's snout descend next to his cheek, and Xuehua started affectionately nibbling on his fur.
He didn't remember her, but he did remember her smell. He didn't doubt what his parents said was true regardless, but it was nice to know his mind had at least something of it's own about this.
"I like them," Macaque said, "I'm glad they've been doing well, and that they've been wanting to be out here."
"Fire's now out," Xinghou announced, "Let's get back to it."
Macaque nodded, and started trying to stand up. Xuehua noticed, and stuck her snout under his arm and used her neck to support him.
Looks like he wasn't the only burnt thing around here, was he?
<><><><><>
Wukong had poured water into a kitchen bowl, deep enough that he could submerge his entire hand in it but not full enough that it was a significant spill hazard.
He had waited until everyone was asleep to do this for practical reasons - it was easier to focus when no one else was around, the children were asleep, and he could see anything glowing much easier in the dark.
He had taken out a quarter cup of his power essence from the tank, and it glowed softly next to him while he worked.
Sure, he could just drink it and gain it's benefits. He felt better almost immediately when he did that, pulling the limit of how much power his body was willing to maintain at once a little higher, but that wasn't enough. Even as an immortal, he couldn't drink all of that as fast as he needed to.
Not this time.
Immortal Zhenyuan had understood why Wukong wanted just the dried peel of one of the Ginsengfruit - it's incredible properties to help absorb nutrients could could make any substance be processed by the body by any organ at bare minimum twice as fast.
He had just an eighth of a teaspoon of the peel currently, the rest being stored in his desk drawer, and he carefully added it to the water.
The water bubbled apprehensively, and he placed a single leaf from one of the sacred peach trees into the bowl as well. The water absorbed it into the mixture as quickly as ice evaporating on a sweltering summers day.
Lastly, the essence.
It was absorbed as well, but instead of just disappearing it made the substance in the bowl look like crystal clear and watery honey. It bubbled happily, relaxing into soft waves created by the power inside of it.
Moment of truth...
Wukong plunged his hand into the mixture, and it absorbed through his skin almost immediately. He gasped as it was absorbed by his skin and ran through his bloodstream so quickly he was surprised his heart rate didn't jump.
And the power settled into his body as if it had always been there.
Perfect.
Now, to draw himself a bath.
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talesofsonicasura · 3 years
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Stone Novas
Ch 4: Exposition
Astra's secret is revealed to Team Monkie Kid much to her dismay! A challenge is wagered, plots are formed and soon wills shall be tested. CH3 CH5
Megapolis' Docks, Secret Base
To say Astra was upset would be an understatement. She was thoroughly pissed off for one good reason. Sun Wukong, Monkey King and 'Great Sage Equal To Heaven' didn't know how to keep his mouth shut. And the feeling to flay him grew as Mei poked at the Frontier Brain.
All of them had hustled back to the Secret Base after MK had blurted out her otherworldly origins. Luckily, no one else was there to hear it. When the young man had accidentally sent himself flying out of the Weather Station, not only did Wukong appear to take away his invulnerability but also told him about her Battle Observatory.
He didn't mention Macaque oddly enough or her taking his clothes, no doubt to keep some of his pride. The reactions from Sandy, Pigsy, Tang and Mei were expected once they got back into the base after a silent ride. Dumbfounded disbelief from MK's boss, curiosity from Tang, awe and wonderment from Sandy, as for Mei…
"Are you human or is this a disguise?! Wouldn't that make Bao Chang, Lupe, Mars, and that giant bird Siegfried alien animals?! Are there any dragon Pokemon where you're from?" A thousand questions alongside her wild poking and prodding. Astra didn't mind someone being curious but this was aggravating.
Having enough with the mildly rude treatment, the redhead grabbed Mei's hand tightly. "I would love to talk if you stop scrutinizing me like a Noctowl pellet." Astra let the raven quickly scoot away, slightly embarrassed but still had that same vigor. The Frontier Brain massaged her head, carefully picking her next words before speaking.
"I am human but from an alternate Earth. Instead of demons, we have Pokemon that can be found everywhere whether it be land, sea, sky and even space itself. During my free time, I usually explore various worlds by traveling through Ultra Space but I am actually the Frontier Brain for the Battle Observatory."
Mk had heard about the facility Astra owned from the Monkey King although neither of them knew what it really meant. Picking up on the young man's confusion, the ginger continued her explanation. "Where I'm from we have something called Pokemon Battles."
Mars connected his tail into the base's computer, the screen switching to display a battle between two trainers and their respective Pokemon: a bipedal rhinoceros covered in orange stone plates and a smaller bipedal chinchilla with large white fur that curled like locks of hair.
"Trainers bring out their Pokemon to battle and give them instructions. When all Pokemon on the opponent's team is unable to battle, the Trainer whose team is left standing wins. No Pokemon are forced to battle without their consent and no killing is allowed." The chinchilla-like Pokemon took down the much larger opponent with a strong blow to the head, spirals appearing on the eyes of the knocked out rhinoceros Pokemon.
Mars then changed the screen to display six different buildings, one of them being the Battle Observatory. A picture of Astra stood in front of the observatory as a shadow silhouette stood at the other 5 facilities. "There are tournaments that test the mettle of both Trainers and their Pokemon, the Pokemon League but we'll be discussing my domain, the Battle Frontier."
Battle Frontier, just two words that sent a shiver down the spines of everyone in the room. MK, unlike the rest of his companions, had a look of determination but also hope in his eyes. Something that made the redhead smile brightly.
"Trainers have to face the Frontier Brains, powerful trainers and their Pokemon that can rival the strength of the Champion for each respective region. Those who defeat a Frontier Brain, earn a symbol of their success, a badge for that gym. If someone manages to collect 5 of these badges, then they can become a Frontier Brain for their own facility. This is my badge, the Nova Badge!"
Astra then took something out of her pocket. It was a metal badge that resembled a fiery meteor from the red flame locale surrounding the yellow star shape and the center was a gray X bearing sharpened edges similar to a stake.
"Only those with conviction to face the burning flames of tribulation and strife can earn this badge. One of the reasons many trainers call me the Battle Frontier's Shooting Star." The redhead didn't even flinch when MK and his companions had suddenly gotten into personal space.
"Woah! That is the coolest thing I have ever seen. It looks really well made too! I wish I had my own badge but I really don't like fighting." Sandy stated with mild disappointment. Astra patted the big aquatic demon on the side and gave him a kind grin. "I can make you a custom badge if you want, Sandy. Send me a design and I'll have it ready in a few days."
The redhead chuckled at the sudden bone crushing hug she had gotten from a very happy Sandy. Pigsy was a bit indifferent to the whole otherworld thing. "As long as you come in peace then I don't really care about your origins. Plus you have a good head on your shoulders considering what happened back at the Weather Station."
Every member of the Monkie Kid team knew where the restaurant owner was getting at. All of them would've been captured by Red Son after MK got taken out of the fight. They couldn't forget about the people that might have been hurt or worse without Astra's intervention.
Something that raised a question for a certain bandana wearing young man. "Hey Astra, can I talk with you outside for a moment?" The Frontier Brain gave MK a confused look before nodding. Mars could fill in any questions the rest of the group had anyway. Neither of them said a word until the two adults were back on the boat.
It was here that Astra saw the brunette's carefree attitude dissolve into disappointment and shame. She had a bad feeling about this. "Do you think I'm worthy enough to be the Monkie Kid?" Now the Frontier Brain really hated where this was going.
"Back at the Weather Station, I was practically useless during the whole thing. I hurt Sandy with the staff and nearly got everyone captured because of my invulnerability ego. I even flung myself out of the building with my own weapon! Sometimes I feel like being able to pick up the Monkey King's Staff was a huge fluke. I…"
MK didn't get to finish when Astra gently caressed his cheek, a warm motherly expression on her face. "It's ok to feel like this, MK. You are new to this whole experience but I know for damn sure that your achievements aren't fake! I read about you saving the city from that huge Demon Bull King fiasco some time ago."
She pulled him into a side hug and turned to the open ocean. "When I first started out as a trainer, sometimes I doubted if I could even become a Frontier Brain. There were times that I wanted to give up but my friends and my Pokemon gave me the courage to keep trying. Look at me now, I achieved my goal alongside my faithful partners. Remember that 'the strongest mountain started as a stone.'"
MK then felt something metallic in his hand and stared down in shock to see a colorless Nova Badge sitting on his open palm. "I want you to hold onto this badge, little Kubfu. When you have found and mastered your full potential, face my team to fully complete that badge. If the Monkey King's training isn't sufficient, I won't mind stepping in for some proper training."
Astra's grin sharpened, the sun making her apple green eyes glow like emeralds and her flaming red hair burn like fire. "I might not have magical powers but I definitely can teach you how to wield a staff. A lot of my Pokemon would also love to help you master your newfound magic. What do you say MK? Want to take your training to the next level?"
The young man looked at the Frontier Brain. His uncertainty became hardened determination. "Please teach me how to become stronger!" MK bowed his head in respect, a sign of a student ready to learn under their master. Astra's smile grew from the young man's response. Now she had a few things to do before she started training MK.
Flower Fruit Mountain, Water Curtain Cave
Siegfried let out a mighty caw as he soared through the air. The Frontier Brain was currently seated on the Raven's Pokemon back with her goggles keeping any volcanic ash away from her eyes. All of the monkeys who saw the large Steel/Flying Type quickly scattered or watched Siegfried fly through the curtain of a waterfall.
This particular waterfall was shielding a cavern that held a small wooden shack within its stone walls, Sun Wukong's home. Once Siegfried landed and was recalled to his Pokeball, Astra went over to the house. She had spotted a large ancient mural to the side depicting Wukong alongside three other people.
A pig demon, fish demon, and a human monk riding on the back of a horse as Wukong sat on top of his cloud with a fillet on his head. It was quite eerie but not for the soft golden glow that lined the characters. No, it was the fact that they looked too much like Pigsy, Sandy and Tang that unnerved the redhead.
Astra walked up to the door of the small home and gave it a hard knock. The door opened to show a disgruntled looking Monkey King who was probably asleep earlier from the yellow pjs decorated in peaches. The demon quickly straightened himself upon seeing those apple green eyes glare into his own ambers. "Fancy seeing you here, Astra. Want to come in?" Wukong nervously laughed, he knew he was in hot water.
"You told MK about my origins WITHOUT my permission, jackass! What in the absolute Distortion World were you thinking?!" The redhead harshly poked the monkey's chest, every word burning with rage. The Monkey King raised his hands innocently despite Astra looking ready to skin his hide.
"I can't keep such information from my successor! MK had the right to know and I trust the kid to keep a secret." Wukong took a step back when the Frontier Brain snarled and dragged him down by his pajama shirt so they were at eye level.
"You are an idiot of the highest caliber and a poor teacher! I read the story about MK fighting that giant bull demon and saw him recklessly using your staff back at the Weather Station. Have you even given him proper training at all?!" Astra hissed, glaring daggers into the demon's fiery amber eyes.
Wukong nervously smiled at the accusation which didn't help with what he said next. "The kid did defeat Demon Bull King and came out of both fights completely fine. We've been practicing some hand to hand combat too. MK just needs to believe in himself, even just a tiny smidge." The Monkey King's world turned upside down in seconds as he hit the ground.
Astra sat on top of him, her legs straddled between his so he couldn't move while she held him up to her face with an iron grip. "You are an incompetent fool that clearly doesn't know what he's doing! Did you know MK asked me if he was even worthy of being your successor? That he thought of his achievements as a mere fluke, you insufferable Stunfisk?!"
Wukong's smile dissolved into a shameful frown. Did he really make his student believe that he was a failure? The mere thought made his heart sink. "I'll be taking over MK's training from now on since it's clear you are ill suited for the task." He instantly froze. Did she really just…?
"What do you mean you're taking over?" A look of anger and shock crossed Sun Wukong from the Frontier Brain's words. Astra didn't seem to care about the Monkey King's growing temper. "You heard me. Unless you start taking MK's training seriously, then my Pokemon and I will do it instead. I may not have powers but I can teach him to wield a staff. My team can handle the magic part since you're shit for this job."
Rage boiled underneath the demon's skin. What gave this human the right to say he was an unsuitable teacher? It's his powers and his staff! Who did she think she was to say that to the Monkey King, Great Sage Equal To Heaven, Sun Wukong?!! He'd- The monkey demon immediately stamped that thought before it could continue and instead turned his head away.
This wasn't about him. It was about his student MK. Astra had a point, the young man wasn't ready at all and if a tougher opponent came along… The look of remorse on Wukong's face was enough for the redhead's rage to slowly simmer down.
"How about a compromise? If you are that serious about helping MK, then battle Bao Chang." Sun Wukong immediately looked at the human woman in surprise. "It is said that someone's true intentions can be revealed in the heat of battle. Clash with my darling Monferno at the Battle Observatory on the morning of next week and show me how far you will truly go for your disciple."
The redhead got off the Monkey King so he could get back onto his feet. He could see in those apple green eyes that Astra wasn't fooling around. His only chance. "Alright. I'll accept your challenge. Where do we meet up since we're going back to your world?" Wukong's question only got him a chuckle from the Frontier Brain.
"Ask your apprentice, he'll tell you." With that said, Astra walked away from his home leaving the Monkey King to his thoughts.
Megapolis, Astra's House
The sound of a hammer hitting steel echoed across the small forest. It was from Bao Chang who was fastening a brand new windowsill to the upper floor of the old house, a paintbrush wrapped around his tail too. Astra and some of her Pokemon decided to fix up their brand new home after returning from Flower Fruit Mountain.
Bao Chang worked on replacing the windows, Lupe disposed of any garbage he found, Mars scanned for any issues with the infrastructure and Siegfried helped transport any of the heavy goods such as furniture or any stuff that can be exchanged for extra cash. Aniani kept watch in case of an accident or intruder, as for Astra…
"Sticky Web, Arachne!" A large blob of webbing struck the worn pillar. The substance slipped it into the cracks with the wood, Astra then placed a large metal sheet onto the sticky goo. "El Dorado, melt that metal a bit with Incinerate!" Quickly stepping back as a stream of fire hit the steel plate.
The intense flame caused the alloy to slowly curl around the pillar's surface until it was fully enveloped. Another stream of fire went down where the two ends to the sheet metal converged, sealing it together. With a short inspection of the plating, Astra gave a thumbs up to the two Pokemon responsible.
One Pokemon was a shockingly large black spider around 12'3 in size, six long yellow legs with the bottom half black that had medium sized water bubbles on each joint, a big water bubble that encased their head, two large blue eyes bearing light blue horizontal wave shaped pupils with three smaller triangle blue eyes on the forehead, four large fangs at the bottom of the head, a vertical tannish brown streak with two horizontal ones on the top of the abdomen and a small yellow stinger on their rear.
The other one was a 1'3 dark gold gremlin, eyes were light gold diamonds cut in an hexagon shape, two fin like ears bearing two points on each side of their head, a small emerald on their chest alongside a small jade and light gold crystals on the back, three fingered claws, three fur like spikes on the elbows and three toed bearing sharp claws. On their left arm was a dark violet wristband that held a black, red and violet jewel inside.
"Looks pretty stable. Got a few more support pillars to go, think you can handle it Arachne and El Dorado?" Astra first looked at the large spider then to the small gremlin Pokemon. The large spider Pokemon named Arachne did a small nod while the little gremlin El Dorado gave a thumbs up.
The Frontier Brain shortly paused as a serious expression overtook her face. Her focus was on the corner of the room that was unnaturally darker than the others. "Arachne, Bubblebeam over there!" The large spider took a deep breath before letting loose a rapid stream of dark blue bubbles.
In seconds, a purple outlined shadow cudgel emerges and promptly bursts every single bubble with a single swing. Macaque took a step out of the shadows, clearly impressed from the fang filled grin on his face. Astra only sighed at the sight of the shadow demon.
"I guess you do have some decent senses to detect me. Nice improvement on this dumpster pile by the way." The Frontier Brain rolled her eyes at the intruding monkey, both Pokemon beside her had their guard up. A sight that made Macaque chuckle.
"Usually I am not that defensive unless near a potential threat. I just didn't know that you used to eat humans before we met." Astra spoke, her arms crossed and an offensive edge to her voice. Dismissing the shadow cudgel from his hands, the demon gave the redhead a mischievous look.
"I knew you overheard me and Sun Wukong the other night instead of going to your room. Had me surprised when you still treated my wounds while keeping calm from your steady heartbeat. Pretty brave and bold, Apple." Macaque walked closer until he was standing in front of the Frontier Brain.
The demon could still hear her heart remain steady despite their close proximity, a thought that made his tail wag happily. "What do you want, Macaque? Because I'm pretty sure spying on someone isn't a proper visit." Astra didn't feel like playing around at the moment. One demon had already gotten on her nerves, she didn't need two.
"Straight to the point I see! What I want is to train under your tutelage." Astra looked at the shadow demon like he was crazy. She let Macaque continue with his explanation. "My clash with the Monkey King proved my training methods are ineffective, training dummies can only do so much. What's a better sparring partner other than a Frontier Brain?"
The redhead kept her eyes on the monkey as he circled around her, Arachne and El Dorado stayed silent. Both Pokemon were waiting for any sign of a threat. "So how about a deal? I help around your observatory and you let me battle your Pokemon in exchange. I can even help fix up this rusty junk heap as a bonus." Macaque offered, a calm yet manic grin etched on his face.
Astra mulled over the proposition in her head. She wasn't stupid or naive. Macaque and Wukong had a nasty history paired with a mile wide grudge. There was also the chance of manipulation for the Frontier Brain since the monkey demon might have abandonment issues, inferiority complex and probably low esteem.
Taking his offer could lead to two scenarios. He'll end up taking revenge on Sun Wukong, possibly dragging anyone associated with the Monkey King into it. Or two, she could learn their history and might be able to help both demons before their sour relationship leads to a much bigger problem down the road.
Whatever the case, these two needed help. "Fine but you must listen to what I say and respect any rules that I make. By the way, if you try to use whatever you learn against some innocent soul…" Astra's eyes sharpened, her teeth on full display from the huge snarl and a dark aura came off the redhead in waves.
The sudden malice was enough for Macaque to take a step back in instinctual fright. "I won't hesitate to show you why I'm the most feared amongst my peers in the Battle Frontier. Angels, demons or gods, nothing will save you from my wrath. Got it, little Alolan Rattata?" The shadow demon quickly nodded at the Frontier Brain's threat.
In seconds the frightening aura quickly vanished as Astra clapped her hands happily. "Splendid. For now, you'll be helping El Dorado and Arachne with enforcing the support beams. Arachne is my dear Araquanid while El Dorado is my sweet Sableye." Both Pokemon waved a hand or leg in Arachne's case in greeting to the demon monkey.
Macaque was about to say something when the redhead threw two small cards at him. Quickly catching them, dark amber slightly widened to see they were Pokedex Entries for the two Pokemon before him. Although the one for El Dorado looked different since the Sableye in that picture was violet instead of gold.
"'Araquanid, the Water Bubble Pokemon. Bug/Water Type. The water bubble around Araquanid's head can be used to carry Pokemon they consider as friends to safety or drown potential prey. It has a habit of storing things it likes in its water bubble so their trainers have to be extra careful to not get dragged in. This Pokemon likes to savor its meal and can also launch the bubbles from its legs as another way to capture live prey.'" Macaque looked warily at the giant spider before reading the other card.
"'Sableye, the Darkness Pokemon. A Ghost/Dark Type-'" The demon monkey went silent for a few seconds. 'What in the absolute hell?' Macaque shoved the thought in the back of his head before continuing his low mutters.
"'-It digs up gems with its sharp claws then uses its sharp teeth to devour them in the deep darkness of caverns. This diet caused Sableye's eyes to become gemstones and some of that material to float to the surface of their bodies. It's feared for the misconception that these Pokemon can steal the souls of people when their eyes glow a sinister color in the dark.'"
The shadow demon paused to look at the card then the small Darkness Pokemon. He blinked a few times before pocketing the Pokedex entries into his jeans. Macaque had a feeling this won't be the only time Astra decides to make him feel uneasy. Shrugging his shoulders, the monkey resigned himself to his fate and got to work with the repairs.
Megapolis, Flaming Foundry
Deep underneath Megapolis, there laid a massive factory unknown to others. This facility was the Flaming Foundry, where every mechanical creation was manufactured to assist the Demon Bull Family. A family of three who seeked to rule the world in an age of darkness and fire: Princess Iron Fan, her husband Demon Bull King and their child Red Son.
Standing in front of a large screen was Red Son alongside two others. One was a huge minotaur type bull demon around 15 in size, powerful bulging muscles to red violet fur that seemed to almost synthetic, bottom jaw covered in a heavy steel plate with similar steel under burning yellow eyes, a gold bull nose ring, gear similar to that of a barbarian: steel pauldrons, multiple straps on the chest that held a gold furnace like slot at the center, dark grey pelt around the waist similar to a barbarian's, slightly long tail, sharp clawed fingers, large fangs and strong gray hooved feet.
The other was a woman about a ft taller than Red Son, soft tan complexion, two large black horns on both sides of her head, long raven hair, red lipstick on full lips, thin but buxom form hidden under a beautiful red traditional Chinese dress, and heeled sandals. They were Red Son's parents, Princess Iron Fan and Demon Bull King. Red Son seemed mostly healed from his encounter with Team Monkie Kid minus a few bandages.
All three of them were watching the large monitor, it was on the news which covered the Weather Station. The broadcast was about none other than two of Astra's Pokemon rescuing civilians who were trapped inside. "-No one knows what these strange creatures were but the families of those who were trapped inside are truly grateful for their assistance."
Red Son then changed the feed to camera footage from the Weather Station, most of the audio was fried courtesy of Mars' hacking the mainframe earlier. "I can see why your plan went asunder, my dear son. You said this woman's name was Astra?" PIF questioned, looking at her only child.
The red haired demon did a short nod before answering. "Yes from what Noodle Boy called her during our battle. All those creatures appear to follow her command; unlike Noodle Boy's group, she's very competent in both strategy and execution. The marks of a tactician."
DBK looked inquisitively at the footage. His attention darted from Bao Chang tearing apart their soldiers using various elements, to Lupe destroying his troops with powerful acid then blasting his son away in a giant laser, Mars stealthily hack into the Weather Station's mainframe and finally Astra's conversion of a broom handle into a weapon that melted through titanium steel. He's seen that type of cleverness before, it got him trapped underneath a mountain for 500 years.
"It appears the little thief has made a powerful and dangerous ally. Get as much information on this 'Shooting Star Astra' and 'Battle Frontier'. Even better if you somehow manage to capture her." DBK glared at the Frontier Brain's picture, a dark grimace on his face.
"This human woman could change everything."
And that's it! Sun Wukong has been challenged by Astra while Macaque and MK are accepted for training as things slowly begin to change in the background with some of the LMK villains.
Astra isn't someone who would beat around the bush when seeing a possible problem. Especially considering her status as a Frontier Brain and just how dangerous this new world is proving to be.
She is the type who wants to be prepared for the worst. To her, Sun Wukong and Macaque's 'relationship' is an issue just as bad as MK's current training routine.
Moving onto Astra's Pokemon, her team is the Pokemon she had caught during her journey to become a Frontier Brain, not exclusively just six Pokemon. Her Pokemon has two different movesets which is reserved for either exploration or gym battles. I'm bringing this up now to not only clear up any confusion but especially for upcoming chapters.
And for anyone questioning why Astra didn't do anything to Sandy for hugging her, it's because only touches with any romantic sort of sense are a trigger. Stuff like hugs don't bother Astra.
Next chapter is the battle with Sun Wukong! Before I go, I am currently working on a story for my Broken Toys AU! Someone asked if I was going to release all the information first before writing it.
The answer is actually no. I will be posting some stuff for the au like the monsters MK has and his relationship to them but the really juicy ones will be coming once a few chapters are posted.
Until next time folks, see you back in Megapolis.
New Pokemon added! El Dorado the Sableye and Arachne the Araquanid
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Astra's team: Bao Chang (Monferno), Siegfried (Corviknight), Lupe (Garbodor), Aniani (Necrozma), Arachne (Araquanid), Mukasa (Zarude), El Dorado (Shiny!Sableye).
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goldenchocobo · 4 years
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Kingdom Hearts Disney Character Daemons
I’ve finally done it, and made a list of all 59 human Disney character’s Daemons that appear in Kingdom Hearts.
I’ve listed them in Game Order and then World Order, with Worlds appearing in subsequent games only listed in the first game they debuted in including all characters, even if they themselves didn’t appear in that game (eg. Olympus is only listed in KH1, but includes Meg). I’ve added notes as well for a ‘quick analysis or things I’ve found out while researching the animals, names or characters.
Since it’s a monster of a list, I’ve saved everyone some Dash space and listed everything under the cut.
Kingdom Hearts
Wonderland
Alice: Unsettled, usually in the form of a cat. Jacob (Dinah)
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Queen of Hearts: Anna’s Hummingbird. Basil
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Notes: I wasn’t sure if I was going to include the Queen or not- but I decided to, since there isn’t anything that says she’s not human. I chose a hummingbird for her for her frequent mood swings due to the fact that (male) hummingbirds can get very aggressive.
Olympus Coliseum
Hercules: Pegasus (he’s half mortal so, they’d be extraordinary)
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Megera: Ferret. Creon
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Notes: I’ve found myself with a stereotype that if I can’t find a particular animal for a Daemon, I simply make them a mustalidae, but I think it works with Megera as she gives off a fem-fetale confidence.
Deep Jungle
Tarzan: African Fish Eagle. Juana
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Jane: Jewel Beetle (Chrysochroa fulgidissima). Iain
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Clayton: Sabor
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Notes: These were some of the hardest Daemons I’ve had to place, since I could not think of what to give them (apart from Clayton). But looking closer at Tarzan and Jane’s personalities, I chose what I feel are fitting Daemons, with the Eagle being a symbol of bravery, and the Beetle being a symbol for intellect and quirkiness.
Agrabah
Aladin: Sadaf (Abu)
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Jasmine: Arabian Mau. Dara
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Jafar: Jacqueline (Iago)
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Notes: I did almost give Jasmine Rajah for her Daemon, but wanted something smaller and less imposing, but equally as outgoing, so I decided to keep in the Feline family. Also, TIL; Iago is Welsh for Jack.
Monstro
Gepetto: Fidela (Figaro)
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Notes: I do want to say that I think that once Pinocchio becomes human he would get a Daemon, and that Daemon would be Jimminy, granted by the Blue Fairy. But considering Jimminy’s role in the KH franchise, I thought it would be weird for him to be traveling with Sora + co.
Neverland
Wendy: Unsettled, Mostly takes the form of a Bluebird. Geoffrey
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Peter: Unsettled, usually the form of a Cuckoo. Ceil
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Slightly: Unsettled, usually in the form of a Vixen. Jackie
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Cubby:  Unsettled, usually in the form of a Black bear cub. Thea
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Hook: Slender Mongoose. Adelaide
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Mr. Smee: Mallard duck. Deryn
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Notes: Smee’s Daemon was going to be a Schipperke (a small black dog) until I looked up Smee’s name and found it was a common old name to call Waterfowl (mainly ducks and Smews), and his personality fit!
Kingdom Hearts II
Land of Dragons
Mulan: Cri-Kee
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Le Shang: Pallas Cat. Ushas
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Shan Yu: Hayabusa
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Ling: Japanese Macaque. Binh
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Yao: Hamadryas Baboon. Jie
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Chien Po: White-Cheeked Macaque.Yu
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The Emperor: Indochinese Tigress. Indrani
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Notes: I based Ling, Yao and Chien Po on the three wise monkeys in terms of Daemon themes. The White-Cheeked Macaque isn’t the best choice, however, since it was only recently discovered..
Beast’s Castle
Belle: Eurasian Jay. Clarus
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‘Beast’: Wild European Sow (Boar). Addison
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Notes: I wasn’t going to give Beast a Daemon at first- she’d only appear in his human form at the end credits scene anyway, but I chose to give him one of his design inspirations, since the personality matched.
Port Royal
Capt. Jack Sparrow: Sparrow Hawk. Wyleye
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William Turner Jr: Arctic Tern. Vilma
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Elizabeth Swann: Barnacle Goose. Aaron
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Capt. Hector Barbosa: Great Skua. Rossa
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Notes: Yes, they’re all birds because all of their names (apart from Barbossa) were names of birds. I changed Jack’s from just ‘Sparrow’ to ‘Sparrowhawk’ since I think that suited him more. Also, Skuas may look like a drab seagull, but they are mean little things that rob other birds for food and eat chicks!
Kingdom Hearts Birth By Sleep
Enchanted Dominion
Aurora: Boreal Owl. Garrik
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Maleficent: Diablo
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Flora: European Robin. Zephyr
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Fauna: Dunnock. Silvius
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Merryweather: Great tit. Onofrio
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Notes: I’ve already talked about the Fairies before and haven’t changed their Daemons. Aurora is an owl because owls are stereotyped into two things: being knowledgeable, and being tired all the time. Disney themselves play to this trope a lot too.
Castle of Dreams
Cinderella: Jaq
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Lady Tremaine: Lucifer
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Anastasia Tremaine: Lion Tamarin. Bion
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Drizella Tremaine: Peacock Pheasant. Felix
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Notes: I chose the sister’s Daemons for specific reasons. They’re both prideful in their looks, singing voice and being ‘better than’ Cinderella. the two most common animals that symbolize pride is the lion and the peacock. giving these animals as Daemons to the sisters gives them a falseness about them. They may see themselves as all these good things, but in reality- they’re nothing but a sham.
Dwarf Woodland
The Queen/Witch Hag: Panther(leopard)/Rook. Gunnar
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Snowwhite: Bluetit. Vardan
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Notes: When matching Daemons to characters, I like to do research on those characters, and as it turns out- the Queen was going to be given a black panther as an animal companion in early drafts of Snow White. This was changed to a crow that lives in her potions’ lair later on. I gave her two forms, because I could foresee her using magic on her Daemon to make the disguise more complete.
Dream Drop Distance
La Citè des Cloches
Quasimodo: White Dove. Natalie
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Judge Claude Frolo: Silver Fox. Agrippina
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Esmerelda: Djai
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Captain Phoebus: Goldcrest. Petra
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Notes: I don’t have much to say here other than Pheobus’ Daemon was chosen based on his name alone, since they are small birds with a very bright crest that looks like sunshine when it catches the light.
The Grid
Kevin: Tarsier. Doireann
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Sam: Marva (Marvin)
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Notes: I did this very late on and very quickly due to me forgetting that Sam and Kevin are humans in this world! even at a quick look, I think I got them right.
Kingdom Hearts III
Kingdom of Corona
Rapunzel: Pascal
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Flynn: Eurasian Magpie. Owena
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Mother Gothel: Orchid Mantis. Chrysanthos
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Notes: I only really had trouble with Flynn’s Daemon, but landed on a magpie because they both like shiny things- like enormous piles of money.
Arendelle
Elsa: Ermine. Vetle
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Anna: Mountain Hare. Kai
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Kristoff: Svalbard Reindeer. Bae
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Hans: European Wolf. Gerda
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Notes: I based Elsa’s Daemon from the early concept of Frozen, where she was going to be an evil queen with a coat of living Ermine. Other than hers, all other Daemons are based on the original Book’s characters, with Hans’ Daemon being named after the main character, which further amplifies the end twist.
San Fransokyo
Hiro: Japanese Beetle. Kei
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Gogo: Hedgehog. Hwan
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Honey Lemon: Bumble-Bee. Benigno
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Fred: Iguana. Pamela
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Wasabi: Mediterranean Mantis. Ginger
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Notes: I originally had them all as Insects, but I have forgotten what other insects I had for Go-go and Fred, but I still feel I gave them the right choice.
END If you’ve made it this far, congratulations! my days of hard work was not wasted!
18 notes · View notes
rufusdawes · 6 years
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Among the Fields of Bali
I spent my first full day in Bali bogan-watching the Bintang crowd. The Aussie-centric party beach suburb of Kuta was about an hour’s walk from my airport accommodation and, with a whole day before leaving Denpasar to fill, this seemed as good as option as any.
The regret arrived almost immediately as I had to cross six lanes of highway, which works out to about ten lanes of vehicles. It soon became apparent that there was not going to be a break in traffic and so, after drawing a deep breath, I stepped off the kerb placing my trust in any one of the island’s Hindu gods that might want to look out for me.
I made it to the median section and exhaled a monumental sigh of relief before it dawned on me that I was only half way and was either spending the night here or risking it all again. Another quick plea to Vishnu, Brahma et al and off I went again weaving around scooters and running in front of buses. The journey then calmed as I wound my way through the city’s backstreets before finally ending up at the southern end of Kuta’s beach.
Here, the Aussie dream appears to be the obtaining of cheap beer, gauche jewellery and a ruddy complexion. It was dirty, busy, with sand and surf a far cry from any of our coastal offerings and not anywhere I could see myself returning in a hurry. This was no destination to risk life and limb getting to. Up and down the lengthy foreshore ran dozens of dodgy surf schools, sunburned drunkards knocking back their Bintangs, and hawkers trying to sell you both tit and tat; one old dear more literally than the others.
My Bali beginning was not leaving the greatest of positive impressions. Instead, after arriving back at my accommodation following a wander home that involved a thunderstorm, being chased by a dog and then navigating the highway again, I made plans to head inland to the Eat, Pray, Love Mecca of Ubud.
The pot-bellied, Bintang singlet wearing gentlemen and the ‘no such thing as too much make-up’ chain-smoking ladies that made up a considerable portion of the Kuta crowd were to be replaced with a dreadlocked and bare-footed contingent. Perhaps still not my style but, after a few years knocking about in Alice Springs, a little more familiar.
Ubud has a reputation for its hippy charms and yoga retreats. There are probably more Yogis here than in the archives of Hanna-Barbera. As well as mastering your meditation and perfecting your downward dog, one could also indulge in an aura spray, which (and I looked this up) is a spray that ‘contains a specific crystal formula that carries a certain healing vibration to tune into’.
Like Kuta, this is most definitely a destination that advertises itself to a specific crowd. However, I couldn’t help but notice how Ubud, like much of Bali, is a town overrun by two wheelers. Where trucks spew out clouds of black smoke and there is an often near-gridlocked traffic network that we as pedestrians are constantly trying to navigate, without being flattened by a ‘which one’s the throttle’ tourist on a scooter. Whilst I have no doubt that ‘the molecular vibrations of the spray’s crystals’ do indeed ‘create harmony and balance’, I’m not so sure it’s going to get the smell of diesel out of a dreadlocked barnet. Either way, Ubud is a popular destination and I too had found my way there.
I’d arrived by hiring a driver via the concierge at my airport accommodation. Due to the strength of the Aussie dollar against the Indonesian rupiah, a car and driver can be hired for those longer journeys and still come in at round $40-$60 a day, regardless of distance or time. This ride took a few hours and also provided me with an opportunity to stop at a coffee manufacturer’s en route where I was able to try some luwak coffee.
Kopi luwak, often thought of as the world’s most expensive coffee, is made from the partially digested coffee beans that have passed through the intestines of the Asian palm civet. Whilst much of the industry has moved into a factory production system where the civets are force fed, I was assured that their production method was still more traditional in that their civets roamed as semi-wild animals that were confined within the boundary fencing of a 200 acre forest and plantation. Then, that the civet faeces were still collected by hand each morning and processed manually.
I was at their point-of-sale, a large garden with examples of the coffee trees and fruit trees used for the teas throughout. In addition, plenty of chooks roaming the grounds and a few large cages containing a handful of civets. At the conclusion of my garden tour I was treated to a tasting of eight coffees and a further eight teas (or at least water infusions) before being offered to taste the luwak coffee for around $5. My curiosity got the better of me and, despite its reputation as being more gimmick than gimme, found it a rather smooth and enjoyable taste, sufficient enough to buy a handful of beans to take home.
Upon arrival in Ubud, I checked into my hotel and made my way to the staple tourist destination of Monkey Forest. A series of old Hindu temples dating from the 14th century, the macaque monkey residents are thought to be holy guardians of the central Pura Dalem temple. Despite this, their role in Hindu mythology is somewhat undermined by the banana sellers at the entrance, as eager tourists line up to purchase the fruit before having it snatched from their hands by the simian thieves along with sunglasses, necklaces and even phones if not paying attention.
As I made my way through the network of paths, listening to the surprised screams of visitors as macaques clawed at their hair and clothes after mistakenly ignoring all the warning signs and attempting to treat the wild animals as if they were cuddly pets, I stumbled across one of the temples hidden among the undergrowth. Here, two young women and a bare-chested gent, all barefoot with the ladies resplendent in summer dresses, braids and henna tattoos, were standing inside the temple’s entrance. I watched as they mumbled some mantra, repeatedly raising their hands to the skies, before cupping them and placing them in the holy water that ran in front to drink from.
After they had finished their ritual, they exited and shut the gate behind them, which quite clearly had the word ‘Closed’ written across it. It may be that these three are devout Hindus with express permission from either the monkeys or the local religious members, who give offerings and use certain trees for religious purposes, or these three are in dire need of an aura spray where we can cleanse the misappropriation out of their chakra. Regardless of their intentions, I certainly struggled to see what three Europeans were hoping to gain from drinking water that at least a few of the 600 macaques are defecating into. Shiva me timbers!
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The next few days were spent wandering on foot in and around town. A short distance north, I found the Campuhan Ridge Walk. This was my first exposure to the serenity that could be found in Bali, once the crowds and roads are left behind. Being a ridge walk, it offers glorious views of the forested hillsides, the reed grasses often harvested for roofing and glimpses of rice paddies. At my turn around point, and the most popular spot to do so, I found solace in a café overlooking a lily pond. It felt a world away from the hustle and bustle that had seemed ever present until then.
My time was soon to get even quieter as Nyepi approached. An annual day of Balinese silence, Nyepi is celebrated on the new year of the island’s Saka calendar. Running from 6am for a full 24 hours, the day is intended as one of self-reflection and thus anything that might inhibit that is prohibited. Consequently, the island shuts down with only the Nyepi police (or Pecalang) patrolling the streets to ensure all remains calm. As tourists, we are confined to our accommodation and thus I spent the day before ensuring I had wine, cookies and a couple of pot noodles to get me through the day. Self-reflection’s a heck of a lot more tolerable if you’re half a bottle of wine to the good and sated on chocolate biscuits.
As it turned out, the total of six guests were well looked after by our hotel manager who brought us all pancakes and coffee for breakfast as well as an afternoon meal. Other than that, I managed to spend most of the day either lounging at the pool or peering over the rock wall behind that overlooked a small stream.
Here Asian water monitor lizards lackadaisically made their way downstream occasionally offering a brief breaststroke kick to aid their momentum, as their tail glided side to side through the water like that of a croc’s. Above them, swallows flitted through the air like Messerschmitts in a high speed, protracted rendition of the Battle of Britain as they took down insects from the skies. It was dizzying watching them, jet black with flashes of blue and white on their bellies, never settling. Sunning themselves on the rocks were the resident spotted turtle doves, egrets and herons. Squirrels chased one another up and down the palm trees and leaping from the tree tops too often to their apparent deaths before somehow clinging to a feeble branch that bended and bounced under their lightweight frames to its limit. Considering my usual inability to sit still for more than a few minutes, I found my time confined to the hotel surprisingly bearable.
I was still delighted when Nyepi Day was over though and I could once again set foot outside the hotel grounds. I got a little further out by booking another driver and heading seaward, leaving the rainforested highlands behind.
One of my Nyepi companions at the hotel was a French lass from Normandy by the name of Julia. She’d been in Bali a month or so already, had been before, and recommended that I visit Amed on the north-east coast. A popular spot for decades with divers and especially Gallic ones, Amed is a series of villages along a black-sanded volcanic coastline in the shadow of Mt Agung. This part of Bali is much quieter and the coastal road only ever punctuated by a vehicle of any description on occasion. It didn’t take long for me to work out I was going to be much happier here.
My first morning’s stroll took me past a café that doubled up as a freediving centre. Having wandered past once from the beach side, I doubled back along the road side and popped in for a Balinese coffee and to decide whether I’d like to try my hand at freediving or not. A mate back in Australia had given it a go and had been waxing lyrical about it when we’d caught up in NSW just before I flew out. Convinced, I spoke to one of the instructors who informed me that a two-day course had started about an hour ago. He stuck his head round the door, confirmed that it wasn’t too late to join in and so minutes later I found myself lying on a bean bag learning about belly breathing and $250 lighter.
Freediving is essentially breath holding underwater but if you’re good at it, can get you deeper than a recreational SCUBA diver. I am not good at it and started by getting about as deep as a balloon. Before that, our morning’s dry land instruction was around the physiology of holding one’s breath and talking through the symptoms encountered when doing so. I was extremely good at practicing on land and my low heart rate and relative fitness had my body’s oxygen levels still at 99% after 90 seconds of apnea. These were very positive signs.
In the water, it was a slightly different affair. We swam out 100m or so off shore to water some 40m deep. Split into two groups we took it in turns to go through our warm-up breathing, taking a breath and then descending a line with the intention of reaching 10m before turning around. The theory was good but my problems equalising my ears prevented me every single time. Instead, having aborted multiple attempts at around 5-6m, my instructor suggested not worrying about depth and practice hanging out on the line. Thus, on the next few tries, I descended just a few metres before righting myself and stopping.
It was beautiful. The openness of the water, the blueness of the view and the peacefulness that pervaded was immense. I imagined this must be what it’s like to spacewalk. I’ve SCUBA’d and snorkelled but I’d never experienced such calm in the water before. I might not be a good freediver but I’m a convert. Things were only to get better after this two day course since day three was putting it into further practice alongside manta rays.
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Together with a few of the instructors and other students of Apneista, we travelled to the clear waters off Nusa Lembongan and home to a known feeding station of manta rays. A dozen or more boats bobbed up and down since scores of SCUBA divers had long since arrived. Thousands of bubbles made their way back to the surface from a hundred or more regulators. What there were not, were manta rays. However, some fifteen minutes later I saw my first and shortly after, my second.
Then, the divers began ascending. Their air exhausted and knowledge of their dive logs preventing them from returning, the waters emptied and only a handful of freedivers remained. Before long a manta ray swam by, followed by another and then a third. All up I counted well into double figures, sometimes two or three would pass by at a time. Unencumbered by walls of bubbles and a mass of bodies, the rays returned as our instructor had predicted on the journey over.
The experienced among us were diving down the 20m to the seabed and watching the majesty of the rays as they swept overhead. I made do with a glorified snorkelling effort, swimming down to my ear popping maximum of five or six metres and hanging out above them. I’d missed a chance to get up close and personal with manta rays some years ago off Fiji, but this was more than making up for it.
This also represented the end of my Amed adventure with the final part of my Indonesian getaway taking me away from Bali and on to the island of Gili Air off the coast of Lombok.
Gili Air is a tiny isle of around 15km2 and one upon which there is no motorised transport. The only fumes I was inhaling here was from the back of a horse’s arse as I took the carriage it was drawing from the docks, where the ferry dropped me off, to my retreat in the middle of the island.
The few days I spent on Gili Air were about as busy as that spent during Nyepi Day. I went for coffee in the mornings. I swam during the afternoons, including finding a couple of turtles to hang out with as I practiced my breath holding and ear equalising. At night, I dined at one of the dozens of beachside restaurants where my true Aussie nature finally revealed itself; ‘…and anything to drink, Sir?’ ‘I’ll have a Bintang please’.
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