| Game On << Shadow Play >> To Catch a Leaf |
(At Megapolis, the Monkie Kids attend a shadow play.)
MK: I'm so excited! I haven't been to the movies in ages!
Pigsy: Uh, kid. This ain't a cinema.
Tang: It's a shadow play, with puppets.
MK: Wha? Puppets? No! (He pulls out a Monkey Cop poster.) I thought we were seeing Kung Fu Monkey Cop: The Movie!
Mei: Eh, check the back.
MK: (He sees the back of the poster, revealing the shadow play he and the others attend to. He soon recognizes the Mayor.) Oh, Mei. Isn't that the guy who gave us that weird key?
Mei: You mean the magic key that can unlock anything? Yeah, I'm pretty sure that is him, and I'm also pretty sure that he's still not actually the Mayor.
Mayor: (He waves to MK.) Hello! (Laughs.)
Tang: Eurgh. Well, that's not creepy at all.
Pigsy: Point is, whatever we're watching, you've earned a break, kid.
Mei: You have been training super hard. I can't even remember the last time we all just hung out together! (Sighs.) I missed this.
Tang: So, was Sandy just busy or...
MK: What are you talking about? We hang out all the time!
Mei: Nuh-uh. girlfriend! It's always Monkey King this or some scary skeleton thing that with you lately!
MK: Well, yeah but-
Tang: Just yesterday you blew off checkers night cause' you had to study. Study what, I might ask?! (He throws the checkers at MK.)
MK: Alright, alright! I get it! It's just, Monkey King said, (He thinks of his encounter with the Lady Bone Demon in Minor Scale.)
Past Lady Bone Demon: Picked the wrong successor.
MK: I just- I need to be ready.
Pigsy: Ready for what?
(The lights dim.)
Tang: Shh! It's starting!
Pigsy: Tang, would you- [Tang shushes him.]
(A hanging shadow puppet emerges on stage from the ceiling)
Pigsy: Tang, what kind of play did you say this was?!
(The curtain opens to reveal, the puppeteer.)
Puppeteer: Welcome viewers to a shadow play the likes of which have never been seen! It follows the tragic tale of a legendary warrior, and how those who bring light into this world inevitability bring darkness to those they hold dear.
MK: Mei, I just realized something.
Mei: What?
MK: I, I don't have snacks!
Pigsy: Kid, relax, you literally just ate!
MK: Must get snacks!
Pigsy: Ugh, fine. Go grab some snacks.
(MK bolts out of the theater and into the lobby.)
Tang: And don't forget to get me some- [Pigsy shushes him.]
Puppeteer: Like light, heroes bring warmth, hope, and friendship. But they also give life to the darkness.
(Pigsy, Tang, and Mei are sucked into the puppeteer's magic lantern).
(MK stands at the snack counter in the lobby of the theater.)
MK: Umm, just a fizz whizz, jelly babies, a large sweet popcorn, milk drops, and an extra large soda gulp.
(Snack Gal scoffs, she goes to retrieve the snacks. A shadowy figure leaves the lobby, catching MK's attention. He runs after it, into an alley.)
MK: Monkey King! You're- [He realizes the alley is empty, then sighs] not here.
(MK barges into the theater, holding a large amount of snacks.)
MK: Sorry, sorry, sorry. Where's that step? (He falls into his seat, the lights dim.) Ha ha! Got back just in time! Oh! And here's that drink you asked for Mei. Uh, Mei? (MK looks around, realizing he is alone.) Where'd they?! Did you get bored already or? (The lanterns light catches his attention.) Whoa! So sparkly!
(The shadow play begins. We see two silhouetted figures, one resembling the Hero and the other the Warrior.)
Puppeteer: The Hero and the Warrior were like the Sun and the Moon. Their light, a protective glow, shining upon the world. Together, there was nothing that could stop the two of them. Either in the Celestial Realms or on Earth. As time went on, the Hero attained power beyond comprehension. As the Hero's light grew, so too did his shadow. And soon, the Warrior was cast in that shadow. In the darkness, the Warrior was forgotten by the Hero.
(Outside the theater, MK calls Mei on the phone.)
Mei (voicemail): You've reached ya girl, Mei! Leave it, beep!
MK: Hey, Mei. So you guys just left me back there. Um where'd you-ugh!
(MK sees a silhouetted figure run across the roof of the theater. He sighs)
(MK sits on his bed, he thinks of his training with Monkey King.)
Past Puppeteer: The Hero and the Warrior were like the Sun and the Moon. Their light, a protective glow, shining upon the world.
(MK looks at the door of Pigsy's Noodles, he moves to enter, but doesn't.)
Past Puppeteer: As the Hero's light grew, so too did his shadow. And soon, the Warrior was cast in that shadow. In the darkness, the Warrior was forgotten by the Hero.
(MK sits next to one of the monkeys on Flower Fruit Mountain.)
MK: And, y'know, its just been tough cause' Monkey King leaving, like, he's got better things to do than train me or whatever. I mean, you get it?
(The monkey screams.)
(MK sits alone at the shadow play. The puppeteer walks up to him.)
Puppeteer: Ah, you again. You must be my biggest fan. You are aware the play is over, right?
MK: (Sighs.) So, um, what happened to him? The Warrior?
Puppeteer: (Laughs.) What would you like to hear? The Hero suddenly remembered his beloved friend, the Warrior? That they lived happily ever after?
MK: No! No, no, no, no, no. Well, yeah, maybe. Um. Okay. I don't know why I'm telling a complete stranger this but I guess I kinda feel like the Warrior, in the story. A little. Is that dumb?
Puppeteer: I take that as a complement, young man. The tell-tale sign of a good story. That you resonate with it so personally. But I think maybe you missed the point- oh, okay...
MK: It's like I wanna be strong and I'm tryna be, but it's like Monkey King isn't giving me a chance! (Sighs.) What if... what if he knows he made a mistake? Chose wrong. Chose the wrong successor.
Monkey King: And? What if he did?
(The Monkey King appears in a flash of light next to MK where the puppeteer was previously standing.)
MK: Ugh. This again? Look, I know you're not really here! I've been doing what you told me to do. Believing in myself, blah blah blah. But I'm not ready for this. I can't face the Lady Bone Demon alone. I just feel so... (Monkey King laughs.) Ergh! If you're not gonna help just leave me alone!
(MK moves to punch Monkey King but his fist is caught.)
Monkey King: Whoa, bud. You been workin' out? You pack a bigger punch than I remember.
MK: No. No, no, no. It's. It's you... Macaque!
(Monkey King laughs, revealing himself to be Macaque.)
Macaque: The one and only! So why so glum? I've noticed that lately you've been lookin' a little down!
MK: What are you doing here?! Oh no! I just-
Macaque: Unloaded all your secret insecurities on me! I know! But hey, no shame in that, man. Sometimes you just gotta talk it out, y'know? I don't really do it. Maybe I should. But we'd be here all day so...
MK: Would you just get to the point?! (MK tries to punch Macaque with his free hand, but it is also caught.)
Macaque: Slow down, kiddo. This is the thanks I get for checking in on my favorite student?
MK: I am not your student!
Macaque: Well, with ol' Monkey King not around, I thought someone should teach you a lesson. 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.
MK: Me? I-I'm not like that.
Macaque: Hmm, I beg to differ, kiddo.
(Macaque summons Mei, Pigsy, and Tang's shadows from within the lantern)
MK: Guys!
Macaque: Oh, did you just realize they were missing? Classic hero maneuver. Maybe it's just me but these guys don't look too happy about being left in the shadow of the great Monkie Kid.
(The shadows begin fighting MK.)
Macaque: Also, side-note: How did you not know it was me? Shadows, kinda my gimmick isn't it? Hey don't look at me! Focus! Ooh this bit might hurt!
(The shadows tackle MK to the ground.)
MK: Enough.
(MK breaks free and charges at Macaque with his staff, Macaque blocks the blow with his hand.)
Macaque: You're right. That is enough. You know, you really are that bit too much like him. But good to see there's some potential.
(Macaque breaks the lantern, Pigsy, Tang, and Mei are free.)
MK: Guys! You're okay!
Mei: What happened? Wait, is that-
(MK grunts, then follows Macaque into the alleyway.)
MK: What is your deal? Why did you do that!
Macaque: Hm, why'd I break the lamp? Well I was gonna do that whole 'watch the hero be tormented by his own mistakes' thing but it seems like your kinda already doing that to yourself, which honestly has been an absolute pleasure to watch. Y'know, I meant what I said. You really are a good kid. A good kid with a really terrible teacher.
MK: I thought you were my teacher?
Macaque: Ooh ouch!
MK: It was you wasn't it? Monkey King was the Hero and the Warrior was you? Right?
Macaque: Maybe you're not as dense as you look. Something's coming. Something you're not even close to ready for. Don't worry. You can never have too many teachers, right?
(Macaque disappears. Pigsy, Tang, and Mei burst out the door.)
Pigsy: Kid. Explain now.
MK: Uh, okay. But we're definitely gonna need snacks.
(Macaque picks up the shards of the lantern. The Mayor claps behind him.)
Mayor: Bravo! Bravo! What a performance!
Macaque: Thanks, last show actually. I was just heading off-
(The Mayor chokes Macaque.)
Mayor: Lady Bone Demon would like a word. Oh, and she'll be needing that.