41.iii The Drums of Heaven

~ Sun Ritsu ~

Blown in opposite directions by the collision, the sun clones tumbled backwards through the stadium. They regained their balance in mid-air, followed by clean landings in the spectator section on steady, steaming feet.

Sun Surina’s Radiant State was a splendid electric pink. Her playful bob flared out in a thousand directions, almost enough to cover her tapered ears. Her simian fangs were out in full force and a fine layer of pink fuzz covered her forearms and the back of her neck.

Ritsu was also naked in his feral essence, lighting up his side of the stadium with his golden ombre hair. He smiled vigorously back at Suri, fresh peach juice dripping off his elongated canines. His chest rose and fell with the excitement that it took to transform.

He was free!

“You’re trying to take my staff again?” Ritsu barked in a voice not like the one you and I are used to. “Get over it. The thing is mine. Go back to pickpocketing dumb tourists, you silly thief.”

He switched into a defensive stance and in a brilliant burst of orange smoke, unlocked the full spectrum of the Golden-Hooped Rod of Compliance. Black, iron-cast with gold hoops linked to each end, the complete rod was the thickness of a rice bowl, stretched about twenty feet long, and weighed almost thirteen thousand, five hundred pounds.

“Incredible,” Suri whispered. Then, lifting her own modified staff to the ceiling, she commanded, “Fallen Star Shower!”

Surina dropped into a low crouch and shot forward, throwing herself at Sun Ritsu with full force while a cascade of yellow stars erupted from the ceiling and the floor at once.

Ritsu handled the staff as if it were as light as a broom, using it to sweep the wind over his head and around his body. The powerful gusts created by the Golden-Hooped Rod sent all those stars flying. Suri used her skills to dodge the dangerous gales, seeking an opening where she could dive and poke Ritsu in the eyes. Then she would use the distraction to take the staff for herself!

But instead of running or trying to sweep more wind at her. Ritsu leaped – meeting the thief in midair.

Was he going in for a head-butt her or would he bite off her face? It wasn’t clear. The monkey king wasn’t stopping, so Suri had to think fast.

It was just more of the same, Dear Traveler. They clashed in the air like raindrops, or should I say, like meteors. They did so with broad, terrifying smiles on their faces. They broke sound and light barriers with the force of their collisions. This was not an instance of assault and robbery.

This was a game among unruly apes.

Apes that were Parallel with Heaven!

That is, until the immortal peach effect wore off.

When that happened, the drums of heaven pounding away inside both of the monkeys’ chests grew dim and eventually went dormant.

Ritsu, having no more control over a staff so immense, collapsed under its strength and begged it to shrink back down to the jade trinket like before.

Sun Surina laughed despite being covered in sparkly debris from her battle stars.

“Well, that was fun.” Her spiky pink hair deflated back into place. “I suppose I can finally get a good night’s sleep now.”

How the hell is she still standing? Ritsu wondered as he lay on his back, gripping his now miniature rod inside his fist.

“You’re not going to try to take it from me?” He wheezed.

Suri regarded Ritsu evenly. “I did try. Twice now.” Her features softened some. “I just wanted to make sure that you had what it took to stand on your own two feet in this competition.”

“But we ate holy peaches,” Ritsu argued, mustering the last of his strength to sit up. “I won’t have the Immortal State to rely on. So how was this a test?”

“A test of the heart is what I was after, Sun Ritsu.” Suri gave her rival a meaningful look. “You are very good at keeping your feelings close. But in the Immortal State, we can hold almost nothing back from each other.”

Ritsu narrowed his eyes. “I don’t know what you’re–”

“You love your friends and you love to become strong.” Suri said. “It’s a lethal combination if you ask me. Anyone who goes up against you, sweet immortal peaches or not, better be worried about it.”

She held out her hand in order to help him up. “We’re rivals now, so this won’t be the last time I come after your staff. I’m still determined.”

“I’m not your rival.” Ritsu ignored her hand and painfully rolled to his feet on his own.

“C’mon. At least call me Big Sis!”

Ritsu deadpanned, “No.”

As he refastened his earring and checked to see if he had broken any bones, Suri said, “You’re not the only one who likes to help people, you know.”

Ritsu shot her a curious look.

Surina added, “I just found a way to do it that doesn’t piss off society.”

Ritsu blinked. Was she trying to give him some advice? He still didn’t have a good read on her.

“Thanks for being a friend to Bodhi when they needed it,” He said. That’s all he really wanted to say to her. All of that anger and resentment from before had pretty much evaporated. He was also downright exhausted and wanted to get into bed as quickly as possible.

For the first time, Suri showed signs of blushing at Ritsu’s remark. She looked off to the side and blew air. “It’s nothing. I genuinely like them. I do feel bad, you know.” She looked back at Ritsu. “About the other one leaving. What was her name?”

“Anari,” Ritsu whispered without thinking twice. It frightened him how close he felt to the spider spirit even now. As if she were waiting back at that hotel with the others.

Suri looked sheepishly at the ground. “Yeah. Bodhi told me about her. I didn’t mean for that to happen.”

Ritsu lifted a hand. “It’s not your fault, Suri.”

The smile he offered was a gentle, sad thing.

“Anyway… goodnight.”

The sun clones went their separate ways.

When Ritsu returned to his room, Bodhi was right where he left them. He looked at the bedroll on the floor and groaned at the thought of sleeping on something hard after what he just went through.

“You look like hell.”

Ritsu caught Bodhi’s keen gray eyes peeking at him over the folds of the duvet.

The sun clone froze. “Um, I…”

“Just get in.” Bodhi rolled over to the other side of the bed. “The bed’s yours anyway. Get some sleep so you don’t pass out in the first trial tomorrow.”

Ritsu stood firmly where he was. “Are you sure?”

The monk tucked their head back under the blanket.

“Yeah.”

There was a quiet unzipping as Ritsu discarded his lemon lime jacket and then the soft rustling of sheets. Once he was comfortable, he said, “Bodhi? When it’s time for us to train, don’t go easy on me, okay?”

Bodhi shifted onto their elbow. “Uh, that goes without saying, but what brought this on?”

“Nothing.” Ritsu closed his eyes. “I just…I want…”

A brighter, happier version of Bodhi’s freckled face materialized in his mind. Then Ham Song’s and Surina’s. Then Sun Seven’s. And finally, Anari’s intense, regal profile. Even though she was no longer his friend, her face wouldn’t go away or leave him be.

“I want to become strong.”