34.ii Like Scooping the Moon from the Water

~ Sun Ritsu ~

Before Sun Ritsu could stop the pig, Ham Song rooted out the cold lemon lime drink and the flyer for the Sevenfold Peach Championship.

“How did that–” Sun Ritsu scoffed in utter disbelief, his brown eyes wide and glaring in panic at the waxy poster.

Ham Song read all of the details of the flyer to himself and spoke aloud the most important information.

“Eight hundred thousand cash prize!”

Ritsu stamped his cigarette on the curb and tried to hush the pig.

“Can you keep your voice down? You know there are laws against being loud and stuff.”

Ham Song’s squeal only became more shrill. “Dear monkey, shut up! I am still reading!”

Ritsu groaned and bit his lip. He stood up, stuffed his hands into his pockets and gave his porky companion some space. His head was throbbing because his worst fears were coming to light.

“Benign monkey, this is the answer to all of our problems.”

There it was. Ritsu refused to look at the pig. He folded his arms and tried to make himself look small.

“What is the matter with you?” Ham Song waddled up beside the monkey’s ankles. “You have a staff, dear monkey! And not just any old stick, but the Golden-Hooped Rod of Compliance plucked directly from the Heavenly River! All I have to do is barf some holy peaches and you can win this thing!”

Sun Ritsu thought of something quick. He dashed for the nearest neighborhood trash receptacle and wrenched off the lid. Ham Song followed him, firing more shrill, oinky questions his way, but the monkey ignored them all.

“No, no, stop!” Ham Song was growling through his teeth while nipping at the monkey’s heel. “You don’t get to patronize me for swimming through the dump and then do it yourself! Beautiful ape, look at me when I’m talking to you!”

Ritsu found what he was looking for, roughly disengaged himself from the pig, and danced back a few steps.

“Sorry, Ham Song.” Sun Ritsu held up a small lump of folded paper that might have been a boat at one point in time.

Ham Song’s dark beady eyes turned fiery. “Don’t you dare.”

Sun Ritsu opened the leftover paper space.

“I’ll see you in the morning.”

He disappeared inside, leaving his friend, his food, the lemon lime soda, and the flyer for the Sevenfold Peach Championship alone on the pastel curb.