12.i The Peach Festival

Dear Traveler, I have a confession to make. Despite what I told you last time, we will not be going to the Peach Festival just yet.

Why?

Because our three heroes first need to find a place to sleep. Bodhi, don’t forget, is still covered in urine and alcoholic backwash. They need a bath more than anything.

Why of course all of this matters! Every part in the story matters. Trust me!

I promise that by the end of this, you will have a better understanding of why patience is valued as one of society’s seven virtues.

~

~ Bodhi ~

The streetlights were on by the time Bodhi and their new companions left the snack depot. The three of them had a plan, but still no money to rent out a place to sleep. The pig claimed that he was still short on Luck and not enough time had passed for it to replenish.

Ham Song said, “We’re going to end up sleeping on the streets if we don’t figure out something.”

Such a thing would not be new to Bodhi, but judging by the looks on the spirits’ faces, Bodhi could assume that their companions had never been this desperate.

Bodhi glanced up and down the street to make sure that no one was coming. When the coast was clear, they beckoned Ham Song and Sun Ritsu to follow them down the narrow alley running parallel to the snack depot.

The concrete walls practically hugged the two spirits and the monk as they edged their way to the back of the building. Bodhi bit their lip to keep from saying something nasty to the pig, who wouldn’t stop complaining to Ritsu about how untrustworthy of a monk they were.

When the three of them emerged from the tight space and into the empty back lot with the dumpsters, Ham Song said, “This is where we’re camping for the night, monk? Well, I must say, you really have posh taste. How many stars does this one have? Five out of five?”

Bodhi shot him a cold look before going over to one of the dumpsters, lifting the hood, and clambering inside. They could still hear the pig blabbering on as they searched for something useful.

“Look at that. She’s back in the trash. As if she didn’t smell bad enough already.”

Bodhi heard Ritsu correct him. “You mean they. And Ham Song, I think they are trying to help us.”

The sound of the monkey coming to Bodhi’s defense brought a smile to their lips. Shortly after, they came upon what they had been looking for.

The smile dropped from their face while they were climbing out of the dumpster and overheard the pig say, “I don’t care what it is trying to do. It stinks to high heavens!”

Bodhi couldn’t ignore how the pig’s inelegant use of their pronouns felt like a whip cracking against their insides. Without alcohol to numb such things, they had to make a deliberate effort to keep their features cool and unfazed.

“You do realize that it can hear you,” Bodhi said icily as they held up the origami crane they had fished from the guts of the dumpster.

Ham Song’s beady eyes widened and he snorted in excitement. “What’s that you’ve got, monk? A paper space? It looks like it hasn’t even been used! What’s that doing in the trash?”

Bodhi wasn’t surprised when Ritsu’s glamour flickered in what was obviously confusion. He tilted his head and scratched it like the monkey he was. “A paper what?”

Ham Song drew a little closer. Bodhi lowered their hand so the pig could get a better look.

“A paper space, Ritsu,” Ham Song patiently explained. “They’re apartments that you can carry around in your pocket. For the spirits on the go. It’s my understanding that they’re very expensive. Even more so than glamour.” He looked up at Bodhi. “So how in the Ninth Heaven are you holding one right now, monk?”

Bodhi smirked. “It’s ironic that you don’t know, pig. Your kind sells modified ones off the market for outrageously cheap. Spirits buy them, use them for maybe one night and then toss them.” They began to carefully unfold the crane. “Which means, of course, that there is a catch. These spaces are only good for a couple of uses. Their walls are significantly thinner than the legitimate models. There’s a chance they could collapse under minor outside disturbances. And if that happens while we’re inside, we’ll all be calling the Lake our new home.”

Ritsu shook his head as he approached. “This is not making sense. How in the blooming lotus are all three of us supposed to fit in there?”

Bodhi chose not to comment on Ritsu’s stupidity. “You’ll have to ask a snake or a rat spirit when you see one. They have all the answers to that particular riddle.” They held up the half-opened crane. “Just stand near me, Ritsu and I’ll do the rest. We’ll be fighting over whatever beds are in this thing in just a moment.”

Ham Song stomped his hoof. “Hold it right there. Shelter or not, I refuse to cram myself in any sort of space with this filthy monk!”

Bodhi looked down at themself. Right. I still smell like piss . . . and shit.

“Hold on,” Ritsu said. He dug into his pocket and produced something flat and hexagonal. Then he held it out before Bodhi.

“Here, Bodhi. Take this.”

Bodhi blinked. “A bathhouse token?”

Ritsu shrugged and grinned boyishly. “Yeah. Sometimes Gong-jon paid us with those instead of real money. I only got one left.” He thrust the coin forward. “Go on, it’s yours.”

Still confused, Bodhi slowly took the token.

Ritsu added, “There’s a bathhouse a couple of blocks from here. I think they serve at least one complimentary drink, so there’s that.”

Ham Song grunted at Ritsu’s feet. “Benevolent monkey, you must stop being so . . . benevolent! We could have sold that bath token for some money!”

Ritsu gently freed the paper crane from Bodhi’s hand and steered the pig away from them.

“I know that, but come on, Ham Song.”

It took Bodhi a moment to realize that they had been dismissed. Their fingers folded around the token. They wanted to thank the monkey, but he was too preoccupied with the pig. Besides, Bodhi didn’t trust themself to be so vulnerable in front of that cursed hog. So, without another word, they stole out of the lot and headed towards the bathhouse.

Once they had gotten checked in and comfortably soaking in a private bath, they allowed themself to take a moment to think. They judged it would only be a few minutes before that complimentary drink arrived, so they had to make the most of their sobriety.

Great Sage, Bodhi thought, too many emotions for me in one day. This is why I travel alone.

The more they thought about the monkey, the more they struggled with deciding how to feel. Back in the noodle house, the monkey had behaved like any other in his Immortal State – swaggering, boastful, and downright up to no good. But outside of that state, he was no ordinary sun clone. Against the – Bodhi had to admit – rather reasonable advice of the pig’s, Sun Ritsu had saved Bodhi from slipping into the Lake of Ninefold Darkness. Then Ritsu had fed Bodhi, invited them to share a shelter, and now . . .

The damn ape is giving me a bath.

Spirits, especially monkey spirits, did not give out things unless they wanted something in return. So far, Bodhi had been able to stay out of spiritual politics as much as possible. They only did what they had to do to maintain their drinking habit. But there was something about this particular clone, Sun Ritsu, that made them suspect that the monkey did not care about debts.

“Miss?”

Bodhi sat up a little straighter at the new arrival. The goose spirit’s eyes widened at the water pearling down their flat chest.

She tried to correct herself. “Ah, pardon. I mean, sir. Your complimentary drink. Enjoy.” She lowered a tray to the stone rim of the bath before running another puzzled gaze over Bodhi’s form and dashing away.

As soon as she was gone, Bodhi’s hand shot out and rendered the shallow ceramic cup from the tray. They threw the shot back faster than lightning and braced themself for that familiar liberating burn.

But no such thing came.

Bodhi growled and hurled the cup against the bamboo wall.

“What am I supposed to do with this weak cup of shit?”

They sank as low as they could while still being able to breathe. As they made bubbles across the surface of the steaming water, they wondered if Sun Ritsu’s Immortal State could possibly have the answers to the questions they had buried deep all this time.