50. Wondrous and True

~ Bodhi ~

After hours of absorbing the smoke from the ovens and the trash rolling over the concrete, Ritsu was barely glowing and couldn’t unlock light mode any faster than before.

When it came to stockpiling qi, Ritsu seemed to be a natural at it. But when it came to transforming the staff, even with the understanding of light mode, our hero really struggled. If he went this slow with all the comforts of the Lunch Hero and his trainer there to support him, how was he going to fare in a packed stadium with the pressure on and the stakes higher than he could imagine?

That’s a problem for future you, Bodhi reminded themself. This was only day one. No matter how great of a mentor Bodhi was, they couldn’t expect Ritsu to get the hang of everything right off the bat. The body had to get used to the feeling of things and it needed time to adapt. The only reason Ritsu was even kind of good at cultivating natural energy was because he already did that in the kitchen. It was just that until now, he didn’t have a name for it.

While the two of them were wrapping up with some cooldown stretches, Ritsu asked Bodhi if he could make dinner for them and everyone else back at the hotel. Bodhi gave him permission to return to the kitchen while they waited on the roof alone, thinking of the best way to break the news about Sun Zhaoling.

On their way back to the hotel, Bodhi went over all of the sun clones that they read about the night before. They explained to Ritsu that Zhaoling was making a name for himself primarily by avoiding his own Radiant State.

“He's beaten many of his opponents who were high on sweet immortal peaches. Not only is Zhaoling extremely strong, but he's totally in control.” Bodhi groaned and stretched their arms up overhead. They folded their hands behind their head and said, “To be blunt, he’s pretty much the worst matchup for you in a head to head battle. At the same time, you could stand to learn from him.”

Ritsu’s reaction wasn’t really what Bodhi expected. The sun clone didn’t reply right away and he got very pensive all of a sudden. “You’re saying that he doesn’t use peaches… like at all?”

Bodhi regretted saying anything about it. “It’s scary, I know, but–”

“I wish I could do that.”

That was not the reaction Bodhi was expecting. They slowed down as the two of them came up beside the massive stadium. The giant dome of concrete was blocking the afternoon sun, casting the whole sidewalk in a cool, bright shadow.

Well. Bodhi knew that Ritsu didn’t like all of that monkey king stereotyping and pressure to compete, but they didn’t realize that he disliked his own Immortal State to this extent. At least, that’s the vibe they got from the way Ritsu looked off to the side and brooded over his deep seeded frustrations.

“Uh…” Bodhi decided to approach the next thing on their mind very gently. “Look, Sun Ritsu. There’s something I want to ask you. What’s going on in your head when you’re in the kitchen doing your thing?”

Ritsu’s attention shifted from the cracks in the sidewalk to Bodhi. He looked uncertain.

The monk explained, “I’m asking because whatever you’re feeling when you flip burgers will help with coming up with something wondrous and true. My hunch is that the judges are looking for something flashy and over the top.”

Ritsu looked like he was at a loss for words. Bodhi pressed him.

“I don’t need that many details. Whatever words you can find for what it is, I’ll take them. We just need something to work with.”

Something painful flashed across Ritsu’s face, which in turn, made something inside Bodhi hurt too, even though they didn’t know what he was about to say.

“Most of the time I… I think about her. When I’m in the kitchen, I just think about how things would be if I hadn’t… if I could just see her again.”

He couldn’t say her name. It was that bad.

Bodhi wanted to back off, but at the same time… the monkey needed to hear this one way or another.

“Ritsu, hear me out. Take it from someone who is very good at driving people away with or without realizing it. You have got to find a way to get over the spider. Or else it’s going to eat away at you and you’ll never be able to get a grip on things when it really matters.”

The edges of Ritsu’s sideburns slowly began to flare. “I am over her.”

Bodhi narrowed their eyes. “Don’t be stupid. Of course you’re not.”

Ritsu couldn’t hold their gaze for too long. His hair eventually settled and he sighed, “You’re the one who asked what’s going through my mind when I’m cooking. I didn’t lie.”

Bodhi wondered if now was the best time to suggest that Ritsu find something else to ruminate on. Pining over Anari wouldn’t make the most stable foundation for something wondrous and true. But what else did Ritsu have? As far as Bodhi knew, Ritsu’s life was mediocre until the spider walked into it. Their meeting was the catalyst for everything that came after.

So who am I to tell him to let go of her?

Bodhi didn’t want the evening to end on a bad note. They handed Ritsu their takeout bags and told him they’d catch up with him and the others at the hotel.

“I’m just going to hit up one of these vending machines behind the stadium.”

As you can expect, Dear Traveler, Bodhi was feeling pretty crummy about being so hard on Sun Ritsu. Especially when they couldn’t help wondering if Anari had written them off for good too. She hadn’t said anything to them when she left.

Attachment was a funny thing. Bodhi knew through their awareness of the flow of time and events that holding on to things was really a waste of energy. If water clung to its state at rest then the world would never know ice or vapor and things would not be as they should. Heaven and Earth would not exist. Change was inevitable. Loss was an illusion. And still…

Bodhi chuckled to themself, leaned against the vending machine and fiddled with a drawstring on their hoodie. “I am only human and… I miss her.” There. They said it out loud. It was done. They could let it go now and focus on the task at hand – getting Sun Ritsu to the top.

Bodhi was about to punch in their choice of drink when out of the corner of their eye, they noticed something swaying on the other side of the machine – a pair of dark boots accompanied by tangles of leather fringe.

The monk ditched their order and darted to the left, where the row of machines connected with the concrete wall of the stadium.

“Legs!”

The spider looked down from her comfortable perch. It was clear from her wide, silent gaze that she had been caught off guard. Her lips were wrapped around a tiny bendy straw that jutted from a small carton of Choco-milkmoo!

The monk made their approach.

“Legs…”

They didn’t know what to feel.

Embarrassed that they had found Anari when they hadn’t even been looking? When she clearly did not want to be found?

Anari slowly lowered the straw from her mouth. “Don’t come near me.” She glanced around before slipping on her shades. “I’m working right now.”

The spider spirit stood up.

You have got to find a way to get over the spider. Or else it’s going to eat away at you and you’ll never be able to get a grip on things when it really matters.

Bodhi’s own words from before brought curses to their lips now. The spider was getting away! They were going to lose her!

“Legs, I–” Anari chucked the chocolate milk at the human’s face. “Ow!”

When Bodhi opened their eyes, she was gone.

Well, that was that.

Or was it??

Bodhi scrambled to the top of the vending machine, but still no spider. After dropping down back onto the sidewalk, they scooped up the old chocolate milk carton. It was still warm from when Anari was holding it.

Bodhi’s head suddenly pounded and they nearly bent double.

All of these fucking emotions are making it really hard to not break the law again.

The monk was about to toss the old container when they noticed something scrawled on the side with the nutrition facts.

Bodhi made a satisfied, smug sound. The temptation of relapse would have to wait.

They had a maze to solve.