Time passed quickly in the following weeks.
I went back to Flower-Fruit Mountain and told them about everything that happened.
I took supplies and monkeys back and forth until a small cabin was built around Wukong.
And I established a few groves of trees on the mountain, so I’d have an easy source of food nearby.
Unfortunately, after that time passed slowly.
Seasons changed, and I visited Flower-Fruit Mountain every few weeks, but it seemed like everything was running smoothly there.
The research division continued to innovate, the agriculture division continued to grow, and the crafting division honed their skills.
Heaven didn’t make any more moves, so we cut the standing army, freeing up more monkeys to whatever pursuits they wished.
Flower-Fruit Mountain entered a period of peaceful prosperity as it continued to grow.
All I had to do was approve of any new initiatives proposed by the generals.
For example, a standardized language, codified laws, and a new currency known as a chi coin.
They all seemed like good ideas to me, so I approved them.
The monkeys changed rapidly, resembling my old world more and more.
I spent most of my time on Five Elements Mountain with Wukong.
To help pass the time, I picked up a few tricks from humans.
I traded them the fruits I grew on the mountain, and they gave me lessons and objects to help pass the time.
How to sew, cook, carve, calligraphy, singing, dancing.
While their attitudes towards monkeys could use work, I learned that most humans, aren’t that bad.
They were just trying to survive, like everything else in this world.
They were still gross though.
Time continued to pass.
Humans came and went.
I finally mastered sewing and could now make myself new clothes.
I passed these techniques on to Flower-Fruit Mountain resulting in a boom of clothed monkeys.
Finally.
It only took about three-hundred and fifty years to get them to stop being naked.
I learned to read and write in the language the humans used and taught what I could to Wukong.
But he kept mixing everything up, and he got frustrated easily.
He could read basic sentences, but anything more complicated and he couldn’t parse it.
I spent a lot of time talking to Wukong.
About anything.
Everything.
We laughed and joked.
I fed him fruits I gathered, I cooked and used him as a guinea pig for new recipes I wanted to try.
I sat with his head in my lap, petting him for hours, comforting him.
I learned to sing.
I sang while I did chores around the cabin, while I cooked, sewed, or anything else I could sing while doing.
I was rough at first, but my voice improved with time.
Wukong said he loved it when I sang, even when I was off-key, and my voice was pitchy when I started.
Wukong taught me more about the world and Taoism, telling me about the master he learned under once I took an oath of secrecy.
And how he was kicked out for showing off to the other students.
Life went on.
Seasons passed.
I took up sword dancing again, something my father originally taught me.
I remembered each step like they were engraved into my muscles.
This world had sword-dancing too, and I took some time to learn about it, although the dance my father taught me would always be my favorite.
Me and Wukong celebrated our anniversary and the holidays of Flower-Fruit Mountain the best we could.
I made sweets, something called moon cakes to celebrate the new year, and shared them with Wukong and our neighbors.
Our life wasn’t perfect.
I wanted Wukong to hold me.
I wanted us to both go home and live happily.
But I refused to take the talisman off the top of the mountain.
The memory of Buddha’s power stuck in my mind.
I wouldn’t risk losing everything again.
Not when what we had was good enough for now.
And the promise of better in the future.
It was a brisk spring day, and I was coming back from harvesting mushrooms and bamboo sprouts from the mountain.
I was planning on using them to make a nice dish for dinner.
I wound my way down the trail, the nice spring day buoying my mood.
I reached the clearing where our house was, and almost dropped the basket when I saw a woman immortal standing outside our door.
Dressed in flowing pink robes, her hair long and loose.
Beside her was a much smaller, younger man, dressed simply in a cassock and holding a staff.
He was slightly familiar, but I had no idea where I had seen him before.
The woman was much more impressive by comparison, her very presence seemed to weigh on the world around her.
I activated my chi vision, and saw that while she still had active chi, it was much smaller than even a normal person’s.
Similar to Buddha’s.
I hurried up to them, setting my basket aside and bowing.
“I am Sun Yue, the Monkey Queen.
What brings an honorable person like yourself to our humble cabin?” My heart hammered in my chest.
Was Wukong finally going to be freed?
She nodded to me.
“It’s nice to meet you, Sun Yue.
I am Boddisattva Guanyin, and this is my disciple Muzha.
I have a task to give your husband.
May we come in?” I nodded furiously and opened the door for them.
“Of course.
Please, come in, come in.
Would you like something to eat or drink?” Muzha eyed the place suspiciously, but Guanyin simply smiled and shook her head.
The two of them stopped just inside the door of our little one-room cabin.
“No, I am afraid we’ve been given an urgent task from the Buddha and cannot stay for long.
Is that Sun Wukong?” Wukong’s eyes were wide, and he practically vibrated as he watched Guanyin with anticipation.
“I am Sun Wukong.
Were you sent by the Buddha?” “I am Boddisattva Guanyin, and I was.
I have been sent by the Buddha to find a mortal pilgrim to go west and receive the Tripitaka from Buddha, then bring it back east and teach the people of this land Buddhism.
However, this journey shall be perilous and filled with many dangers, so I have been seeking out disciples to help the pilgrim on his way.
Are you willing to take him as your master and accompany him on the journey to the west?” He nodded eagerly.
“I am!
I so am!
Just pop that talisman off the mountain and I’ll get that monk west faster than you can blink!” Guanyin rolled her eyes and sighed.
“Something tells me you won’t find it that easy.
But I’ll tell him about you and send him your way.
He’ll take the talisman off the mountain for you.
Be patient and wait for him until then.” “Um, Boddisattva Guanyin?
Will I be allowed to accompany my husband on his journey?” Nerves that I wouldn’t flitted in my stomach.
But they turned to relief when she nodded.
“The Buddha said that if you wish to go along, you may.
You won’t be a disciple, just Wukong’s wife.
Will you be okay with that?” “Yes!
That’s perfectly fine!” As long as I could go and help keep Wukong on the straight and narrow.
She smiled.
“Then we should be on our way.
The sooner we find this pilgrim and start his journey, the sooner you will be freed.” I opened the door and let them out, and I watched them from the doorframe as they flew off.
Once they were gone, I shut the door behind me.
And squealed in delight.
I jumped up and down, unable to contain my glee.
“Wukong!
Did you hear that?!
You’re going to be freed!” He was practically vibrating from where he was in the rock, little pebbles shook out and dropped onto his head in fact.
“I am!
And with one trip west on Nimbus, we can head home!
I can’t wait to get out so I can hold you again!
And see everyone on the mountain!
And run and jump and fly and—” He continued listing everything he wanted to do, but the last one was naughty and made me flush.
“Wukong!” I berated him and he laughed.
“Well, it’s true!
It’s one of the things I’ve missed the most being trapped under here!
Watching you be incredible and beautiful everyday but being unable to touch you is one of the most torturous things about this!” “You’re terrible.” I laughed.
“Oh!
I collected some mushrooms and bamboo sprouts today.
I left them outside.
I’ll make something special for dinner to celebrate.
Wait here.” “Ha, ha, ha.
That joke never gets old.” Wukong called out as I rushed out the door.
This was it.
Soon Wukong would be free, and we could just be together again.
The worst was behind us.