A twig snapped.
I tensed and whirled around, my heart going from calm to life-threatening danger within a second.
Lonely Moon hummed into the air beside me, pointing itself at the bastard who kidnapped me.
He jerked his hands up, his eyes going wide at me ready to attack him.
Or more likely, take off again.
“Ah, don’t leave!
I’m not going to go near you.” I should leave.
I should take my sword and fly as fast and as far as I could.
But I didn’t.
He slowly walked up beside me, staying at least five feet away as he came up beside me on the shoreline.
He sat down, to watch the sunset too, and after a heartbeat I joined him, letting Lonely Moon settle onto the sand once again.
We both hugged our knees, and he waited until the sun was halfway down the horizon before saying something.
“So, I might have really fucked up.” I snorted.
“Oh really?
Please elaborate.
How exactly did you fuck up, and how much?” “Look, I’m sorry about what I did yesterday.
I got way too drunk, and now I can’t fix it.
I broke the only thing that can get you back home.
So just tell me what I can do try and help.
I’ll do whatever it takes to make it right.” He turned towards me, contrite.
But I couldn’t find any forgiveness inside me.
“Do you know of any other anchor points in this world?” “Uh, no.
I just found that swirly thing in the basement.” I groaned, tossing my hands up.
“Then how the fuck are you going to make this right?!
There might not even be another anchor point on this world.
It could take eons to find another.” He stiffened up at my accusatory tone.
“Look, I can’t reverse time and undo everything I did.
And to be honest, I don’t have the time to try and find another fancy portal when it could take that long.
What I can offer, is a safe place to stay for as long as you’d like.
That’s the best I can do.” I jerked towards him, pushing up off the ground.
“That’s not good enough!
What I’m just stuck on this fucking island for the rest of eternity!?
Aren’t there any other monkeys kingdoms I could go to?” He growled, doing the same, standing up and leaning in.
“Not as far as I know, and I looked far and wide.
I know it’s not good enough, and I know I did you wrong, but I can’t do anything else!” We were both breathing heavy from our arguing and standing up facing each other.
After a heartbeat, He closed his eyes and took a step back, breaking off our confrontation.
I broke away too, looking off towards the water, trying to calm down.
I was angry, and I had a right to be angry, but he had a point.
Being angry was getting me nowhere.
I took a deep breath too.
“Look, I understand I don’t have a lot of options, especially after seeing those… those humans out there.” I pointed towards the land I knew was out there beyond the horizon.
“But I refuse to be confined to this island for the rest of my life.
There has to be something you can do.
You’re powerful right?” He ran a hand through his fur.
“Look, if you think humans are bad, then you’ll wet yourself the first time you meet a demon.
Unless I go with you every time you head out, there’s no way I can guarantee your safety… Unless…” He shook his head.
“Nevermind.” “What?” “You won’t like it.” “Then tell me so I can tell you how much I don’t like it.” He took a deep breath, and turned back to me, his eyes catching mine.
“My name would be enough to protect you… if everyone thinks you’re my wife.” I jerked Lonely Moon up again, the sand falling away.
He held up his hands.
“Whoa!
I told you you wouldn’t like it!” “You fucking pervert!
I knew coming back here was a mistake!” I jumped on my sword and took off again, towards the direction of the setting sun, chasing the light.
“Wait, hold on!” Huh.
He sounded close for still being on the shoreline.
I turned back to check on him and fuck!
He could fly!
He was somehow riding a cloud, speeding after me, just above the spray of the water.
He was gaining.
I leaned forward and pushed for maximum speed.
“Shit!
I didn’t mean we’d actually get married!
I just meant that if people think you’re my wife, then they’ll leave you alone!” He shouted after me, his voice sounding a little farther.
I think I could outspeed him, but only barely.
“Until what?
You think I want people to think we’re married?
What about when I want to marry someone else?
Or was this all some convoluted plan to get me into bed?” I tossed my voice over my shoulder, pissed.
To even suggest violating the sacred bond of marriage like that… “Look, you want to search for your anchor point thingie right?
You can search for one without worrying about getting eaten or kidnapped if you’re known as the Monkey King’s wife!
No one within ten thousand li will bother you if you give them my name!” He was falling further behind, his voice getting further away.
“Oh, sure, and the fact that you fucking kidnapped me for that very thing has nothing to do with it?” “Gods you’re fucking fast.
Look, I promise not to lay a finger on you if you don’t want me to, can we please not have this conversation at ten thousand li a minute!” I stomped on the hilt of Lonely Moon, and it sharply leaned back.
I used my feet to grip the hilt and keep my balance as that bastard went whizzing by me, screeching, bringing me a dose of joy I desperately needed right now.
Finally, he got himself stopped and turned around.
He groaned when got to me.
“How the fuck did you do that?” “It’s not my fault if your cloud doesn’t work as well as my sword.” “Uh, his name is Nimbus, and he’s sensitive.” He patted his cloud.
“Don’t listen to her Nimbus, she’s just being mean.” “Now explain yourself.
How exactly does me giving you what you want help me?” I crossed my arms, ready to take off again if he made any moves.
He held up his hands to stop me.
“For one, you’re not giving me what I want.
I was drunk last night when I said I was going to marry you.
I quite enjoy being a bachelor you know.” I quirked up my eyebrow at that.
“Yesterday, when you kidnapped me, you said, and I quote, ‘Oh, you’re the most beautiful monkey I’ve ever seen.
Please marry me and end my empty lonely life beautiful maiden.'” “I did not.” I shrugged.
“You slurred your words a lot.
I’m paraphrasing.
What I do remember clearly, is that after I turned down your hasty marriage proposal, you screamed you couldn’t possibly live without me and tossed me over your shoulder like a sack.” His eyes skittered away from me.
“That part… may be accurate.
Look, I was drunk.
I have no idea where my head was at that night.
And I’ll admit you’re very… fetching.” I snorted and leaned forward on Lonely Moon, ready to blast off again.
His words fell out in a tumble, scrambling to persuade me.
“But!
But I clearly don’t lack for company.
I’m a king after all.
I can have any monkey I like back on Flower-Fruit Mountain, and I can guarantee none of them are as much trouble as you are.
Look, all I’m saying is that we play pretend at a couple of gatherings, and then everyone will know not to mess with you if they see you out and about while looking for your way back home.” The fact I was even considering this infuriated me.
“What if, while I’m out and about, I find another monkey I want to marry?” He snorted, spreading his hands out.
“Then I’ll just say you died.
You can have your happily ever after, and I won’t be responsible for you anymore.
Happy now?” I paused.
And groaned.
I just didn’t have any other options.
“Fine.
But just so you know, this does not make us even.” He turned back towards Aolai.
“Yeah, yeah, let me guess, it’s not even close.
Look can we just head back?
It’s getting late.” The sun had pretty much set.
Only the barest traces of pink lingered at the horizon, but the moon was bright tonight.
I hung above us, casting us both in its gentle glow.
I looked up at it, and closed my eyes for a moment, letting the moon steady me.
I was doing this.
I was really doing this.
I let out a deep breath and looked back down at him, still impatient to leave.
I couldn’t go back with him like this.
I needed more than just empty words to believe him.
“Wait,” I stretched my hand towards him, my fur practically glowing in the moonlight.
“I want you to promise again.
Shake my hand and vow upon your chi you won’t touch me.” He turned back to me, his eyes sharp at first.
But they gradually softened as he looked at me.
He reached out too, taking my hand.
They were rough, callused.
“I vow upon my chi I won’t touch you without your permission.” Got him.
I took the power in his words, the promise of them, and twisted my chi around his intentions.
They were true.
I shoved them back towards him, into his own chi, and the vow as locked into place, with his very chi.
It felt like electricity arcing between us.
He gasped and yanked his hand away.
“What was that!?” “Just insurance in case you decide to get handsy.
As long as you keep your promise, nothing will come of it.” More importantly, with the vow in place, I now felt safe enough around him to go back to Flower-Fruit Mountain.
If he did try something, I could have him on the ground, writhing in pain within moments.
“Well, I won’t.” He growled, rubbing his hand and frowning at it before finally putting it down.
“Will you finally give me your name?
If we’re going to pull this whole being married thing off, I should probably know it.” “Yue Lunaste.
And yours oh illustrious king?” “Sun Wukong.
It nice to formally meet you Lunaste.” “Huh?
Lunaste is my last name.” “Wait, you put your given name first?
Why?” “I don’t know.
Why do you put your surname first?
I guess it’s just different here.” I shook my head.
It was a small difference, but it reminded me just how far from home I was.
I looked back at Wukong, who split his attention between me and the island.
Oh, that could be fun… “I’ll see back in the cave slowpoke!” I blasted off, rocketing towards the island, leaving him soaked in the spray of water I left behind me.
He sputtered and we raced back to Flower-Fruit Mountain.
He reintroduced me to Beng and his other three generals, and I got my own room.
It was down the hall from his, still in the royal suites area, and some monkeys delivered me fruit.
I munched on it while looking out the window, carved into the side of the mountain.
I stared up at the moon.
It was like a bath, washing away the staleness of the in-between.
It wasn’t Lunus or it’s little brother Anaste.
But it had its own charm, a gentle cream color rather than pure white.
Most importantly, it felt close enough to me.
I closed my eyes, soaking in its rays.
I might as well enjoy it now because there was no moon in the in-between.
No stars either.
I reopened my eyes and looked at the rest of the night sky.
They weren’t like the stars I knew.
They had empty stretches of blackness between their tiny pinpricks of light.
On Pluas, the night sky was so packed with stars, it shone with brilliance.
It was different.
But not bad.
In a way, there being less stars made you appreciate each individual one even more.
I polished off the rest of my fruit.
The food here wasn’t too bad either.
Then again, anything would be better than the in-between’s nutritional paste after a couple of decades.
I dusted off my hands and climbed into bed, pulling the worn blanket over me as I curled up.
My mind wandered to my home.
My family.
Like it always did.
No.
Just focus on the now.
But why?
My darkest thoughts whispered.
Why bother going back at all when I could die here much more easily?