23.i The Heavenly River

~ Sun Ritsu ~

“If you look over to your left, you can see through the crystal clear waters of the Heavenly River that there is a deep and very wide chasm running along the riverbed. We call this deposit of sediment the ocean treasury. Though most of the treasure that was once here is long gone.”

Someone from the crowd asked the tour guide why it was called the ocean treasury when they were nowhere near the ocean.

The guide held up a finger as if they were expecting this question. “Astute observation, my good goose. The answer and the truth is that no one knows! What we do know is that the high dragon immortals were the ones who named most of these territories. I imagine that if anyone questioned them at the time, they would be promptly roasted.”

Sun Ritsu and Ham Song listened to the tour guide continue their description of the ocean treasury and the origins of the chasm. They had gone into some history lesson of the Great Sage commanding a large deposit of iron to shrink into something small and narrow enough to be lifted with one hand.

The tour guide’s voice had faded into the background as Ham Song and Ritsu struck up a conversation of their own. The two spirits stood on the ferry’s outer deck overlooking the shimmering, clear river current. They leaned against the railing while they speculated what Kawaii Village would be like. Ritsu mentioned that he had heard a rumor once that all the dog spirits that lived there got cosmetic surgery to make themselves resemble Pembroke Welsh Corgis.

Eventually, Ham Song gave a tired grunt and asked, “Lawful monkey, I just… I can’t understand why you choose to keep Bodhi in your company when they have been nothing but unreliable and disrespectful.”

Ritsu leaned back, holding the rail at arms length so that he could look down at where Ham Song sat by his ankles. The wind rustled his rough, dark waves. It flared out his sideburns into an asymmetrical silhouette.

After a long beat, Ritsu said, “Bodhi doesn’t strike me as the type to disrespect someone without being prompted.” The monkey turned his golden brown eyes back out at the water and squinted them against the glare. “Back when Bodhi was finding a paper space for us to stay, you called them it, even though you knew that was wrong.”

Ham Song blew air out through his flared nostrils. “They tried to have me killed!”

Ritsu narrowed his eyes more before fixing them onto the pig. “Bodhi has an addiction, Ham Song. They can’t help it.”

“So what?”

Ritsu tilted his head. “What do you mean, so what? Bodhi fixed their mistake. They saved you yesterday and then last night, you attacked them for no reason.”

Ham Song opened and shut his jaw several times. Then he abruptly shook his head, looking as if he was ready to dive into another protest.

Ritsu suddenly crouched before his porky companion and cradled his pink head between his hands.

“Ham Song, hear me.” The way Ritsu held and looked at Ham Song so earnestly made the pig unable to look away. “I understand that you want respect, but you’re never going to get there by being so harsh with Bodhi.”

Suddenly the monkey let go of the pig spirit. He stood up and carded his hand through his shaggy waves, clenching his jaw in a way that undermined his glamour. The pig glimpsed the profile of the handsome rhesus macaque, which stretched all the way past the tip of Ritsu’s ear. His sideburns briefly edged towards a furrier, golden brown texture. His conical canines strained against the seam of his lips, and the tips of his ears elongated and widened into that signature triangular silhouette.

“I can’t force you to treat Bodhi the same way I would, but... you respect me, don’t you, Ham Song?”

Ham Song squirmed on the spot. “There’s no question about that, fair monkey. You know I do!”

Ritsu’s glamour fell into place. Only his canines were noticeable as he challenged Ham Song with a firm, “Then show me. Don’t go hurting the spirits I choose to keep in my company.”

Dear Traveler, I shall now give you a closer look into the pig’s mind. For Sun Ritsu never has a damn clue how he comes off to his companions. And it’s something you should be aware of before we move forward.

Our bewitched, and at this time, bewildered Ham Song wasn’t sure how the sun clone could make demands without sounding angry or entitled. The resolution in the monkey’s expression came from somewhere unconditional and blameless. Ham Song could barely grasp at what it was, but whatever internal blessings that governed Sun Ritsu’s attitudes and allowed him to see the good in godless spirits, Ham Song had to honor it.

Or else he would forever be alone and never rid himself of this curse.

Ham Song bowed his head in deference. “Benevolent monkey, you’re right. I… apologize.”

Sun Ritsu had a mind to tell the pig that Bodhi was the one who deserved an apology, but truthfully, he wanted Ham Song to figure that out on his own.