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nonsensenook · 3 months ago

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Chapter 3 | Powdered Snow, Warm Hands

Synopsis: The New West offered plenty of alone time, new meetings, and an unforeseen pause in travel plans. A continuation of this unapologetic take on you, the reader, accompanying the Destined One on his journey.

Word Count: 3,692

Warnings: None

Author's Note: Thank you very much for the continued support and kindness for my writing. I gratefully read every comment repeatedly. They're really encouraging! I hope you enjoy!

Read on AO3: Link

Ch. 1 - Ch. 2 - 3.5 (Optional) - Ch. 4

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The sand strewn desolate valley became snow capped mountains as you entered into the New West. The Destined One had worked hard conquering Yaoguais, acquiring his second relic, and making you a garment insulated enough for the harsh winter weather. At your suggestion, the Destined One had traveled through the shrines again, transferring his soul from one plucked offering to another in order to gain every hidden item he needed. As your head soon became a halo of snow, you wondered if your contributions held any unforeseen consequences. Or were your actions in line with this so-called Destiny? There were too many questions to hold onto and no one to spare you the burden.

You were recovering from hitching a ride on the Destined One after the Keeper turned him into a bat and you into a little flea. It wasn’t fun being a flea and the vertigo you felt when you turned back was still affecting you. You had reassured your companion you just needed a moment to settle yourself. He promptly sat you down and made you use his shoulder as a warm cushion. It was too nice of an offer for you to reject. You let him pamper you for just a moment.

You were meant to relax, but the same worries always seem to creep over you time and time again. You closed your eyes, hoping the semi-darkness would hush your mind. The Destined One offered you a piece of celestial pear which you felt gently press against your lips. You bit into the fruit from his hand without opening your eyes. You giggled when you felt he’d pressed another piece to your lips the moment the first was gone. You ate the second piece the same way then said, “I hope I’m not the only one eating.” You then hear a small crunch as he bites into the pear. You stayed like this for a little while longer, letting him switch between feeding you and himself as the gentle snow stopped falling.

You opened up your eyes, doing your best to readjust to the bright surroundings. The dizziness had subsided. You shooed him away gently, telling him to continue on as you waited for him at the lone shrine. Satisfied that you were at least well enough to eat, the Destined One stepped away to give you more time to recover as he went around the area clearing out enemies and collecting materials. You instructed him to leave the temple on the lake for last.

You stretched and began setting up camp near the shrine. When he returned from his meditation you invited him to sit down for a small break. Arguably, it was an unnecessary one for him. Truthfully, it was an excuse to spend just a little bit more time together. The small fire you prepared was heating up water steeped in flowers and herbal leaves. You passed him a cup and some food, encouraging him to eat some more. When he sat down his tail wrapped around you protectively. You took a sip of the hot tea, letting the warmth fill you.

“Whatever happens after you go to that temple,” you said, picking a loose twig off his leg, “know that I’ll be here safe and sound. So, take your time and explore at your own pace.” You then listed off some things he should look out for and what advice you could spare from your memories. Soon enough, sooner than you had liked, he had finished off his meal. You joined him in walking to the frozen lake. You stayed at the very edge of it as you watched him approach New Thunderclap Temple.

You’ve been alone for three days. You spent that time stretching, repairing equipment, and giving the simple staff he’d left you for a spin. You would then switch to making snow angels, singing to no one, and building snowmen big and small. When the night came you would set up your little resting area to keep the snow from falling on you as you slept. The time without the Destined One was long and seemed to drag on. You hoped the Pagoda wasn’t too difficult to traverse for him. You wondered if you could have warned him a bit more about it.

You had too much time for yourself. You decided to give meditation a try as you sat on the very spot the Destined One had before he left. You closed your eyes, breathing deeply in through your nose. As you tried to empty your mind, those same thoughts found the opportunity to barrage you again. You’ve been in this world for months now. The Destined One has been proceeding as he should through the journey even with your presence thrown into the mix. You wondered to yourself, would you truly return back to your world once he reaches the end? Is returning to your world what you really wanted? Was it ever what you wanted? You frowned, groaning as you held your fingertips to your temple. You were sure you were doing the very opposite of what meditation was meant to be.

You opened your eyes in frustration and found a monkey crouched down with his chin in his palm staring at you. You blinked. It was your monkey. You tilted your head, brow furrowed in confusion. You looked behind him. The New Thunderclap Temple was still gone from the lake. The hole from the last battle was slowly freezing over. He had returned before gaining the relic. You looked back at the Destined One who seemed amused at your response as his tail flicked behind him.

“What are you doing back so soon?” You asked. All other questions were gone from your mind as you noticed a fresh cut on his cheek still dripping with blood. You immediately pulled out a spare cloth to press against the wound. The Destined One watched with a wistful look on his face as you dabbed at his cheek. He smiled a little when you began frowning at him. He then followed you as you stood up with your arms crossed.

“You seem content for someone still bleeding. What-” You were interrupted by him pulling you into a hug. You felt his tail wrap around your leg as he gently nuzzled your head. Your worried frown became a thin line then faltered into a smile. You returned the hug, wrapping your arms around him as you lost yourself in his warmth. He pulled back to lift you up and spin you once as you squealed in delighted surprise. He lifted you further until you were sitting on his shoulder. With one hand on you to help keep balance, he walked back to your little camp. He admired your snow angels, snowmen, and little sculptures as he passed by them. He stopped briefly to look closely at one sculpture with a stick leaning on its back that seemed to resemble a certain monkey. You urged him onward to spare you further embarrassment.

He set you down gently before stepping back and pulling out his staff. With one end of the staff he drew a perfect circle which ignited into flames. The Ring of Fire. You hovered your hand over the flames feeling no scorching heat, only warmth.

The Young Sage watched as you marveled at the ring. You let him take your hand to lead you to its center. As you stepped through the ring you felt as if you were wrapped snug in a heated comforter. You looked at your companion, the smile on your face full of wonder. His gaze was tender as he watched your expressions. For a brief moment you both stood there hand in hand. He closed his eyes as he pressed his forehead against yours. You took down each detail you could: his smell, the way his fur tickled your face, his breathing, his coarse hands gently holding your own. It was just the two of you, together in your little circle of warmth amidst the cold white snow. For just a moment, there wasn’t a destiny to fulfill or a lost soul to return. For just a moment, the world itself seemed to have stopped its endless toil. For just a moment, you let yourself hold on for a little longer.

When the moment passed, you let go. The Destined One stepped back from you, bidding you goodbye with a warm hand cupping your cheek. His hand lingered there after his body had begun to move away. He stepped out of the circle and towards the shrine. You watched as he vanished in a flash of golden light. The Ring of Fire he created remained long after he was gone. In the protective circle, you wrapped your arms around yourself against the sudden cold.

Day slipped into night once again as you made an inventory check on supplies. You drank some warmed tea then tucked in for the night with the staff he left you by your side. As you slipped into sleep you watched the flames dance in the Ring of Fire.

You woke up suddenly from the sound of lightning striking. Disoriented, you felt for your staff as you tried to get your bearings. In the bright morning light the snow was blinding. Your eyes adjusted to the scene on Mirrormere Lake. New Thunderclap Temple has returned to its center. A small group was watching the giant He-Luo fish circle above before it dove into the Destined One. He had gained his third relic. With the sense of danger passed, you left the staff to meet them at the edge of the lake.

You saw the monk exchange a few small words with them before disappearing in a puff of smoke leaving only The Destined One and a smaller figure you recognized immediately. Both of them walked back to land where you were waiting. The Destined One lagged a little behind as he looked at his hands, no doubt feeling what he’d gained from this new relic. You suddenly felt nervous as your palms began to perspire. Zhu Bajie approached you, the tip of his ears not reaching past your chin. He looked you over, then gave a huff.

“So this is the little interloper that old monkey told me about. You-” he cocked his head to one side, “What’s that grin for?”

Excitement coursed through you. You couldn’t hide your smile even as he called you out for it. You were finally meeting Zhu Bajie, the companion you had already come to adore in another lifetime. You couldn’t control your elation. He was even more charming in person.

“I’ve always wanted to meet you, Zhu Bajie,” you said with hands nervously clasped together. Bajie turned up his nose, trying but failing to hide a rather satisfied smirk.

“I see my reputation precedes me,” he said, giving a small chuckle. Then he sputtered, waving you off with a hoofed hand, “Flattery will get you nowhere. I am not here to babysit two kids-I barely signed up for the one.” The kid in question was behind him, still a bit off in his own world.

Bajie circled you, propping his rake over his shoulder. “Well, it hardly matters how and why you’re here. Our goal is the same and so long as you don’t get in the way or slow us down or-” Bajie paused. His snout sniffed the air around you. He looked at you, then at the Destined One.

“-or distract us,” he added with mirth, “Then all should fall into place.”

You felt your cheeks warm as you read inbetween the lines of Bajie’s comment. Bajie chuckled to himself, shaking his head, then began making his way to your little camp. The Destined One was at your side, promptly returned from wherever his mind briefly traveled to. You looked up at your companion whose head was slightly tilted in inquiry. “Welcome back,” you said.

You heard Bajie call out loudly from the camp. He was pointing to one of your snow sculptures.

“Hey, kid! This one looks just like you!”

You were covered in sweat. An inordinate amount of both blankets and clothing weighed you down. The Ring of Fire surrounding you had been burning for hours and still you couldn’t stop shivering.

“It’s not looking good, kid,” Bajie had said hours before. Or had that just happened? You weren’t sure anymore.

The fever had struck you suddenly while venturing through the snowy terrain. Days had passed since Bajie had joined. You thought you were just light headed when you suddenly fainted. The Destined One had caught you, then carried you to a long abandoned home where you currently rested. You had a fever that kept rising along with a terrible cough that rattled you to the core. You thought you saw Bajie start to say something, but a harsh bout of coughing from you made him stop. Soon enough, you could no longer keep awake.

When you woke up, Bajie was tending to a fire beside you. Half dazed, you kept apologizing to him as he warmed up some tea. “Oh, shut it,” he grumbled softly, “Focus that energy on resting, why don’t you?” He then sat you up to have you drink. Every so often when you were awake he would continue to have you sit up to drink or eat what little you could. You realized you hadn’t seen the Destined One for some time. Bajie noticed you looking around and answered your question before you could ask.

“The kid’s gone off to get ingredients for a pill. Xu dog’s getting something prepared for you,” he said, then threw the covers over you again before you could ask anything else.

You kept phasing in and out of consciousness. You no longer had a grasp on time. The constant blizzard outside did not help you either. Each time you opened your eyes you would see Bajie in a different spot doing a different action. He would be resting in the corner with his rake propped against his shoulder, in another moment you saw him help himself to some of The Destined One’s drink, then you saw him pacing as he talked to himself, and sometimes he was just quietly staring out into the storm. Each time he noticed you were awake he’d tend to you. You weren’t sure how long this went on for.

When you woke up again Bajie was beside you eating and heating up more tea. You slowly propped yourself up by your elbows. Each movement seemed to drain you of energy the moment you thought of exerting yourself. You sat up just as Bajie handed you a drink. Both the cup and your arms were unbearably heavy. You took a small sip before resting the cup on your lap. Bajie himself took a swig of wine. The wind howled outside the house, shaking the walls and boarded windows. You hoped the Destined One’s fur was keeping him warm enough in this weather. You looked at Bajie who was wiping his mouth with his wrist.

“You must get this request often…” you began tentatively, voice raw from your coughing fits.

“Knowing that won’t stop your own request, hmm?” he replied, scratching at his ear.

You smiled, blowing gently over your cup of tea, “I’d love to hear about The Journey from you, Bajie.” You ducked into your elbow as another bout of coughing came and went. Bajie waited for the fit to pass then hummed. “Which story shall I choose from?”

“How about the one where you arrived at the Western Empire of Women?” You suggested innocently.

“Absolutely not that one.” Baiji shot down, bristling at the memory. With your throat so sore your laughter was constrained mimicking that of a snickering snake or, in your world’s terms, a spray bottle. You remembered the story well. At that particular moment in the Journey to the West, Bajie and their Master had unwittingly drunk from the River of Child-Bearing. Sun Wukong was tasked with finding the solution to their sudden affliction while the women took care of both pregnant Master and Pig. The look of mortification on Bajie’s face was well worth the risk of his scolding.

“Enjoying yourself are you?” Bajie sneered as you wiped a stray tear from your eye. You vehemently denied this between scattered giggles before you managed to calm yourself down. “Please,” you said, “any story would do.”

Bajie closed his eyes and did a long, dramatic, drawn out sigh. He opened one eye to peek at you. You put your hands together in appeasement. Bajie threw his arms up, “Alright, alright, quit pulling my hoof. Uncle Bajie will tell you a story.” You suppressed another laugh. Placing your cup aside, you settle into your covers as Bajie takes another swig of drink.

Bajie cleared his throat, “It was another day on the road. The Journey had already been long and treacherous enough, but that didn’t stop me from being on high alert. Brother Wukong gave me the job of scouting ahead…”

A natural storyteller, Bajie captivated you with his retelling of the epic Journey. He was a one-man show and crew. He would speak with his hands, thumping the floor for emphasis and even standing up at points to act out different characters in the story from the tone of their voice to their slight mannerisms. Moments of suspense had you gripped in anticipation while others had you tearful with laughter. You didn’t speak up to question Bajie when he seemed to stretch and reshape the original story where he saw fit. You were enjoying yourself too much to dawdle on the details. You weren’t sure when you’d fallen asleep again. The last thing you remembered was hearing Bajie’s voice turn somber as he recounted a moment with his brother, Sun Wukong.

You woke up to the feeling of someone gently moving strands of hair from your face. The same gentle hand held your cheek in their palm. You reached up to cover their hand with your own. Through your heavy eyes you looked up at the Destined One. He seemed relieved to see you able to sit up as he helped you. A light layer of snow covered him which slowly melted in the Ring of Fire.

You were glad to see he was uninjured, though you noticed how he seemed quite worn. He produced a small bag which he placed into your hands. You placed the bag on the floor next to you and opened it fully till its contents were laid out. There were tea leaves, an assortment of grown foods, a small blade in its sheath, a thickly braided red cord, and a single small pill.

Bajie appeared with his arm casually hanging on the Destined One’s shoulder. “Look at this assortment! Aren’t you a lucky one to be gifted with such blessings by the Zodiac Deities?”

You didn’t just feel lucky. You were overwhelmed with gratitude.

“I don’t-I don’t know what to say,” you whispered quietly. Your vision blurred as you brushed over their gifts with trembling hands.

“Nothing that they don’t already know,” said Bajie.

“Even so,” you said, turning to the Destined One, “please show them my sincere appreciation for their kindness.”

You took the pill with some warm tea. Your symptoms did not automatically disappear, but you felt yourself breathe just a little bit easier. You shared the bounty of the deities amongst your companions. The tea was fragrant and the fruits delectably sweet. The Destined One used your little mountain of covers as a backrest, taking a well deserved moment of reprieve. You looked at the braided cord and saw a note attached to it.

“Tear at the first sign of danger,” it read. You looked closely at the red cord. It was beautiful and seemed ordinary enough, but in between the red you could see strands of gold shine in the fire light. Bajie picked up the blade, studying it closely.

“A fine blade crafted by the Yin Tiger himself,” he said, unsheathing it. You watched him examine what you assumed was the mark of the Yin Tiger, then he flipped it over to read more characters on the other side. Bajie burst into hearty laughter.

“Mighty Fang!” He read out loud, “quite the fitting name.” Bajie returned it to its sheath and handed the blade to you. “Now you're that much closer to matching us Yaoguai.” Bajie tilted his head to the side, showing off his protruding tusks. You pulled the blade out to look at the inscription, tracing it with your fingertips. You smiled to yourself. With this small fang of your own, you were beginning to feel like you belonged.

The Destined One didn’t leave your side after he’d returned. He took up Bajie’s post at tending to you, making sure you were still fed and cared for. When it was time for him to rest you would sometimes wake to find him asleep right next to you. In those moments you would simply watch him sleep until Bajie reminded you of his presence and had you continue to eat and drink.

Two days later, you rose from your slumber with a clear mind and clearer sinuses. The pain you felt whenever you swallowed was gone. A new revitalizing energy coursed through you. You sat up easily, stretching out unused muscles. Your companions were still sound asleep. You took this opportunity to get up and peek outside. The blizzard had passed, a cloudless dawn greeted you as you stepped into the morning cold. Every surface was covered in pure, white snow. You breathed in through your nose and out through your mouth, watching your breath collect in the air. It truly was a beautiful morning.

Your companions woke up to a readied meal, items folded away, and you up and about shining with health. The red cord swayed around your waist, somewhere on your person was the hidden Mighty Fang. You handed both your companions steaming cups of tea. Outside, the sunlight began shining over the horizon.

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