Ukie

A competition! That was the most interesting piece of news Monkey had received in a long time. Emperor Yu seemed to be putting out a call for assistants, and they had to prove themselves worthy in the earthly realm below with one twist—as humans. Already close in appearance to the soft-skinned two-legged creatures, Monkey was thrilled to be able to get up close and personal with her cousins. A known trickster among her fellow celestial creatures, Monkey was full of acrobatic stunts and ill-advised ideas; there was no telling what she would do while free of rules and regulations in the land of Man. Settling herself into the outskirts of a small suburban community near the mountains, Monkey chanced upon the sounds of crisp cymbals and plucked strings. There, atop a constructed platform, were a half-dozen extravagantly-dressed humans wielding gilded sticks, pointed spears, and colorful flags of all sorts engaging in some sort of ritual. With long, drawn out wails and shouts, they began circling each other, dishing out taunts and insults in flamboyant language. Immediately, Monkey was captivated: was this her chance to prove that legends do indeed exist? Despite having only just attuned to her new human form, Monkey grabbed the nearest weapon-like object and leapt into the fray. This was it. This was her chance to carve her divine deeds into the earthly realm—for she was a celestial among the commoners! With a bright voice, she brandished the tonfas and declared, "The Great Sage Ukie has arrived from on high!" A celestial creature sent to the earthly realm in a test of talents to select the next trusted advisor to Emperor Yu, energetic and vivacious Monkey sought to carve her own legend in dramatic form. Part truth, part exaggeration, and all bombast, Ukie's first contact with her upright cousins was to accidentally clock two upside the head with a pair of borrowed tonfas and pounce on the third. It took a total time-out to stop their rehearsal from dissolving into a brawl, and amid some rather sheepish apologies, the troupe realized they had caught her antics on tape. It was then they saw the primal grace of a much-beloved cultural legend reenacted by this strange, impish girl who seemed to have appeared out of nowhere. To this day, the troupe still isn't sure if Ukie takes method acting to an extreme, but that hasn't done anything to deter them from welcoming their new leading role. As word of their exciting new addition spread, many flocked to the little town to catch a glimpse of Ukie's electrifying renditions of the Great Sage's many adventures. A born trickster, his mischievous exploits are well known across the land—as many celestial beings as evil spirits had tasted the business end of the Great Sage's legendary staff. For the celestial monkey in Ukie, there was surely no better role. By acting out the mighty spirit of a beloved legend, she displayed not only her talents, but proved that the world of mankind was inextricably tied with that of the other realms. Perhaps only Emperor Yu knows if there truly was ever one such Great Sage—otherwise known as the "Monkey King"...