Xiao Yun - Tumblr Posts
Playing the Piano
MK has always been a curious monkey eversince he could remember. He never really experienced or seen much while he was stuck (more like trapped,in his opinion) on the island.
After moving in with Maka and Soul, Soul decided to teach MK how to play the piano. It took awhile to even begin to grasp of what a piano was, but in the end MK got an understanding of what a piano is. Soul was surprisingly patient with MK teaching him everything he knew from childhood and their bond grew from there. Soul taught MK how to a melody he created as a child. (The Victor Piano Solo from Corpse Bride)
MK plays the piano when he's feeling very emotional or just in the mood to play. That's how he bonded with his hamsters: Xiao Yun and Xiao XingXing. Xiao Yun would play the keys on the right side and Xiao XingXing on the left with MK playing in the center. (Played Tom and Jerry: Cat Concerto ; Hungarian Rhaposdy No.2) Maka recorded Soul fainting after witnessing such a cute and impressive scene and she sent it to everyone they knew.
It became like an exercising/bonding/outlet tool for them. When MK wasn't playing the piano, he let the hamsters play the piano instead. It was cute watching the two of them playing the keys the way they wanted or from the music sheet (Soul taught MK how to read the music sheet and in turn taught the hamsters as well through trial and error) and to see their cute reactions.
When Xiao Yun and Xiao Xing Xing birthdays came up, MK had custom made pianos for the both of them: hamster sized. The hamsters were very thrilled that they could finally reach key without passing out from exhaustion. They would join in with Soul and MK during family bonding time.

IN THE PUPPETEER AU
.MK is the adopted child of two puppeteers (still haven't decided on human, puppet or demon)
.MK's parents discovered MK when he was still a cub, while they were foraging for food and wood
.MK's parents names are Xiao Yun and Xiao XingXing
.Yun and XingXing care very deeply for their child and would do anything to protect them from harm, especially from his former family
.Yun and XingXing teach their son puppetry and how to create his own puppet also including on how to install weapons inside and creating/sewing their clothes
.Members of the circus would include MK in their acts (they wanted MK to experience the joy of making people laugh and smile)
.MK creates a monkey puppet (His parents' puppets are some type of clowns or jesters with demon monkey attributes)
.MK names his puppet Ping and treats Ping as if they were his own child or friend
.Ping will eventually gain a conscious of its own and would only recognize MK as its creator/father (just like sun wukong's staff and macaque's shadow)
.MK creates his own acts that includes Ping (knife throwing, trapeze, dancing, playing music,etc.)
.Yun and XingXing train MK and Ping on how to work/perform together
Watch "[Music] A Female Student Arrives at the Imperial College - The Rivers Resemble Mirrors" on YouTube
.the circus was taking a two month break from performing and decided to return home (their home is hidden in a secret location and this was during the time when Yun and XingXing found MK)
.Yun and XingXing discovered their cub, MK (this was while were foraging for food and wood)
.the circus were setting up camp nearby a temple (the temple has long be forgotten and abandoned, the circus members still went to the temple to pay theirrespects to whatever god or deity maybe residing within the temple and for allowing the circus members safe passage through their land)
.Yun and XingXing humbly prayed to the residing god or deity to watch over their child
.the circus members decided to perform their acts before the god or deity
.Yun and XingXing performed with their puppets while singing (XingXing) and playing music (Yun) (their puppets Song (Yun's puppet) and Huan (XingXing's puppet) performed the dance) (the puppeteers spent many years honing their skills that it can appear as though the puppets were dancing by themselves)