| Skeleton Key << Macaque (Episode) >> The End is Here! |
MK: You know, when I found out I was going to be trained by the Monkey King, Great Sage, Equal to Heaven, I had no idea that I'd be stuck here hammering walls 12 hours a day. Why am I doing this again?
Monkey King: Oh, so I can make a nice little breakfast nook. Get some light up in here.
MK: But I'm meant to be Monkie Kid. Not Construction Boy. How am I supposed to do the hero stuff if I don't know the fighting stuff?
Monkey King: Oh? So you want to know the "fighting stuff," huh? Like this?
(Monkey King's eyes glow. He throws his staff and smashes a hole in the mural.)
MK: Huh? Whoa. Yes, exactly like that. I am ready for some awesome.
Monkey King: (Laughs) Look, bud. You can't rush this stuff. You'll get there. You just need practice.
MK: But this isn't practice.
Monkey King: (Groans) I'm never going to teach you something you don't need to know, okay? (MK huffs.) Okay. Now, this priceless, ancient mural is not going to destroy itself. So remember: Step into the strike.
(MK's phone rings. It's a call from Mei.)
Mei: MK, we really need your help.
MK: A monster attacking the city? That's terrible. Dang. Guess I got to go do some boring hero stuff instead of this. Okay, bye.
(MK arrives back in Megapolis.)
MK: What did I miss?
Mei: MK, what took you so long?
MK: Sorry, sorry, Monkey King was making me do boring stuff. That the bad guy? (An ominous purple monster looms over MK and Mei's heads.) Okay. Be right back. Here comes --
Mei: No, wait!
MK: -- Monkie Kid.
(MK is thrown back to the ground.)
Mei: Oh, yeah, we tried that.
(Sandy and Pigsy rest beside MK, defeated. Something dark flies overhead.)
Mei: Is that --
MK: Monkey King?
(A dark monkey fights and defeats the monster with a glowing purple staff. Once it vanishes into smoke, MK appears, having climbed the side of the building the monkey is on.)
MK: Yes. Monkey King. (He falls off the building and reappears in front of the dark monkey.) That was awesome. I can't believe you came back to -- oh, this is awkward. You're not Monkey King.
Macaque: I get that a lot. Monkie Kid, right?
MK: How did you --
Macaque: Your staff kind of gives you away, dude. Not just anyone can wield that thing.
MK: Uh, sorry. Who are you?
Macaque: Macaque. Actually, the "Six-Eared Macaque" is, you know, my full name. Well, see you around, MK.
MK: Can you teach me that awesome thing?
Macaque: Uh, don't you already have a Master? I thought Monkey King was training you.
MK: Ah, yeah, yeah, no, he-he is.
Macaque: But you can never have too many teachers, right? I'm sure Monkey King would agree. It's not like he would want to hold you back.
MK: Um, yeah. Yes. He totally would be cool with it.
Macaque: All right then.
(Macaque touches MK's back, and the monkey symbol changes from sweet to sinister.)
(MK trains with Macaque and is bested.)
Macaque: Not bad. Don't get me wrong, but I was kind of expecting a little more from someone with your power.
MK: Hey, hey, I've got more. I can give way more than that. I can do better.
Macaque: Okay. Maybe show me next time.
(A training montage sequence begins.)
Macaque: Stop holding back. Stop trying to be nice. Your first strike should be your last strike. Every time you attack, give it everything you've got. Other people are going to tell you to be patient.
(The scene changes to MK back at the Shuilian Cave.)
Monkey King: Patience and focus. Step into the strike.
Macaque: They are slowing you down. You have power inside you. Use it. Take the power and destroy. Remember. You don't use a weapon. You are a weapon.
(MK throws the staff and destroys the wall in a blast of purple smoke.)
Monkey King: Whoa. How'd you learn to do that? (Gasps) Have you been running around with other mentors?
MK: Patience and focus. Isn't that what you said?
Monkey King: Look, kid. Using that much power, your body can't handle it.
MK: You just don't like that there's someone who's actually teaching me what I need to know.
(Return to the training room with Macaque.)
Macaque: You're ready.
MK: Ready for what?
Macaque: I found out where it lives.
(Macaque leads MK up a mountain.)
Macaque: The Smoke Monster is actually an ancient demon. A very, very powerful one. We need to destroy it once and for all. Come on.
MK: Wait, what? Last time, I couldn't even hit it.
Macaque: Totally. But since then, you've had me teaching you. You're stronger now. Don't you feel stronger?
MK: I guess.
Macaque: Remember. You're the weapon. Give it everything you've got.
MK: Here comes Monkie Kid. (He uses the Golden Staff and lunges toward the Smoke Monster.) I am the weapon! (MK attacks the monster, but it reveals itself as Macaque. It punches MK in the stomach, and the monkey logo on MK's back glows purple. MK falls to the ground. Out of a shadow in the ground comes another Macaque.)
Macaque: You know, you really are a good kid. Super nice...
(The second Macaque disappears into a shadow on the ground. Macaque holds a stone in his had; MK's powers, which he absorbs. The staff launches towards MK, pinning him to the mountain.)
Macaque:Thank you, for giving me all of Monkey King's power. Huh? Oh, no. Can't you hold the magic staff anymore? Well, you know what that means. There really isn't anything special about you. You're just some kid with a heavy stick.
Monkey King: Enough!
MK: Monkey King!
Macaque: Monkey King. It's good to see you, bud!
Monkey King: Are you ever going to get sick of living in my shadow? It's time to give back what you stole.
Macaque: You are such a gem. It's going to be so satisfying, killing you with your own powers.
(Monkey King and Macaque and their clones fight. Macaque transforms into MK and Monkey King hesitates. Macaque's Shadow Monkeys pile on-top of Monkey King.)
Macaque: Seriously? You fell for that? (To MK) Sorry, kid. Nothing personal! (He conjures the Smoke Monster and prepares to finish off MK.)
MK: (Screams.)
Monkey King: Kid!
(Monkey King breaks free from the shadows. He blocks MK from Macaque's attack.)
Macaque: Come on! Show me the real Sun Wukong! The old you would have leveled this whole mountain range to stop me, but you're scared of hurting some kid? Pathetic!
MK: (He struggles to break free from the Golden Staff.) Come on, staff. I can't. I'm not strong enough.
Monkey King: Kid. We're definitely going to have words later. But it's time for the hero stuff!
(MK uses his strength to lift the Golden Staff as he regains his powers.)
Monkey King and MK: Patience. Focus. Step into the strike.
(He hurls the Golden Staff at Macaque and the Smoke Monster, blasting away. Monkey King and MK sit on the mountain top together.)
Monkey King: You did it, bud. You remembered what I told you.
MK: I'm sorry.
Monkey King: Oh, oh, you totally should be. I can't believe you two-timed me on your training.
MK: I just wanted to be good enough. Like you.
Monkey King: (Sighs.) Hey, your heart's in the right place, kid. We can work on the rest.
MK: So you'll keep training me?
Monkey King: Of course, bud. I've got something special in mind.
(MK does chores back at Monkey King's home.)
MK: This is totally going to be one of those "do the boring, hard chore thing", but secretly, it's "learn the awesome kung fu secret", right?
Monkey King: Uh, sure.