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Ne Zha was asked a simple question by his father upon the completion of the Celestial Realm’s rebuilding.
“What will you do now?”
He tried not to see it as a thinly veiled threat. He went against command, failing task after task. Ne Zha has little to his station with no emperor, no map, and precious little to protect. The question was a fair one.
What will he do now?
Ne Zha stayed at the edge of the lotus pool, lost in thought. Before he was a warrior, he was but a child. He sacrificed himself for the good of his people, and now someone else insisted on it for the good of the world. He knew why he chose his village. His adolescent mind couldn’t find a single fault in his neighbors, claiming them innocent and undeserving of death. Now that he’s an adult, he knows better, but he’ll still admire his old self for his courage. MK…
MK was battered by this mortal realm. He hurt for it every day, as its member, and he knew why not to follow such optimism. Yet, he tried to die for it anyway. Ne Zha meditated on this idea for a while, mental circles twisting on the idea that someone could have so cursed an existence and yet choose it all the same. There must be some part of the realm that outweighs the worst parts of it. MK has to know something he doesn’t.
But he refuses to disturb the peace of a mortal who should be resting so soon after his battle to question why he fought it at all. Instead, he should ask his teacher, who is owed zero rest for his wickedness. Ne Zha traced a teleportation circle in the ground and let the light carry him to the mortal realm.
He opened his eyes to be in the middle of Wukong’s new home, the monkey and his companion stopping in their conversation to gawk at him.
“Ne Zha?” Macaque began, a questioning tilt to his tone.
Ne Zha bowed to beg their pardon for the intrusion. “I would like to know what on the mortal realm is worth living for. Do you have the answer?”
Macaque and Wukong’s faces switched, one to concentration and one to open concern.
“Why do you need to know the point of life?” Wukong wondered aloud.
“It is not what you think. The answer to the question will not dictate my continued existence.”
“Says the god who attained immortality by killing himself,” Wukong muttered, Macaque shoving him off his seat as punishment. “Alright, but what is the actual reason?”
“I do not understand why MK chose to save the world, when the natural solution was to let Nuwa’s plan take its course. He has experienced a life full of heartache and stress. So, there must be something in the realm he sees as worth saving. I believed his teacher may know the answer.” Ne Zha pressed his hands together, continuing, “I ask that you do not inform MK or his friends about my query. I would rather he rested after his ordeal, and enjoyed the tranquility he created with his sacrifice.”
“Yeah, if you asked him why he didn’t give up after the self sacrifice didn’t work, I would’ve hunted you down for that.” Wukong rubbed his chin in thought. “Why is the mortal realm worth it, though? I have a few ideas.”
“Show me, then.”
“Not dressed like that.” Macaque gestured to his armor with a shake of his head. “You can borrow some of Wukong’s clothes to blend in more.”
“You wish for me to exchange armor for armor?”
“I have other stuff!” Wukong grumbled, heading to the closet and pulling outfits from their hangers. “We go to the city all the time, I’ll have you know. We just try not to look like monkeys when we do it.”
Ne Zha complied, although he still felt awkward when he emerged from a side room with normal clothes on. He was given a choice between pants or not, and decided he’d rather be dressed like his armor, so a wool dress of pink went past his knees. It had a collared undershirt with a shiny bow, Ne Zha checking repeatedly that the cuffs are properly buttoned. It’s autumn, so he was playing it safe with knitted tights and shoes that he could hide his wheels in. Macaque’s wide legged pants covered thick combat boots and stayed on his waist with a thick belt. He had a buttonup shirt striped crimson and indigo over a white tank top, open to show the under layer. Ne Zha wouldn’t recognize him if it wasn’t for the scar curling through one eyebrow, black hair tied back to expose hearing aids. Wukong paired a red sweater with the heart cut out of the chest with a long golden skirt, cyan high tops hiding his paws. His face (his human face) had freckles along where the markings used to be, yellow eyes crinkling at the edges. He checked the mirror, then switched the irises to blue to be less obvious and combed through strawberry blonde hair with pride.
“Alright, ready for the field trip?”
Ne Zha shrugged noncommittally, but took Macaque’s hand so they could melt into the shadows all the same. He didn’t see why he had to dress up for this, unless that’s part of the human experience that he was sorely missing as a child. He wouldn’t know.
They appeared in an alleyway leading to a main street. “We’re staying in Lantern City,” Wukong explained, “since we don’t want the kid to see us.”
Macaque pointed to the overlook for the town. “If you want to see why he’d keep this place safe, just watching how many people exist here is a great indicator.” Ne Zha followed them to the railing, standing still as they pointed to this and that, babbling away.
Maybe he’s more callous than he was as a mortal, but this view didn’t affect him the way it should. When he said that aloud, they pressed for details.
“I understand the amount of lives in the mortal realm perfectly. However, there would be just as many, if not more, in whatever realm that came after. It does not move me to act the way it did MK.”
Wukong twisted his lips. “Well, he cares more because he lives it.”
“I assumed as much.” Ne Zha slumped his shoulders. He used to know all of this, he can tell. Maybe when he was human, this was simply second nature. It’s been too long. “I will never get it.”
“Hey hey hey, we only just got here!” Macaque clapped his back with a forced smile. “Come on, don’t give up yet. Let’s go find more of that mortal love.”
Macaque insisted on an area called a museum, even though it was closed. Apparently, it doesn’t matter if someone sees them sneaking in, when the humans who wander these halls are just glamour. They stopped to gawk at rich tapestries and ancient statues. Ne Zha was taught as a prince how to appreciate such things, but he derived no external emotion from them. It was just a motion to go through. It’s not worth the world.
Macaque and Wukong brought him to a park, ducks flitting through a pond and gobbling up the seeds they bought from a vendor to throw. Wukong gave Ne Zha a handful with an encouraging smile. He tossed the grains, expressionless as a baby duck snapped it out of the water. Some part of him remembered delighting in animals as a boy, but he’s seen them all in his battlefields at one point or another. It brings no excitement to imagine blood leaking from their bodies and struggling heartbeats. They deserved quick deaths.
Ne Zha trudged after them to some place that played music too loud, the monkeys jumping to the beat. He didn’t see why so many people would risk their injuries and hurt ears for this, an endless shambling with no rhyme or reason to it. It was only a distraction he didn’t desire. He shook his head and left.
Ne Zha stuffed his hands in the pockets of his skirt, staring at his shoes. He wants his wheels back. They were a gift from his teacher long ago, a reward for sacrificing himself because he understood what he was here for. Did he really grow this complacent in his immortality? Once the moral of the death of Ne Zha was taught, did he unlearn that very lesson? What was the point?
What will he do now?
“Where are your parents, kid?”
He looked up, the shopkeep poking her head out the door. She looked very kind, a cardigan reaching the floor with wide glasses on her nose. She had her hair in a ponytail with a bow, smiling at him.
Right. His height probably makes him look rather small to the uninformed, and he had to take the buns out so no one would recognize him immediately, his bangs covering the red dots on his forehead. “They are in there,” he replied, pointing to where Macaque and Wukong disappeared to. She startled at his deep voice, then narrowed her eyes at the sign on the faroff door.
“I see.” She opened the door further, woven shoes scuffing the sidewalk. “Would you like to come inside for a bit? I would hate for you to get lost.”
He couldn’t think of a reason to refuse. Ne Zha stopped at the stone interior, a wide glass counter contrasting rich brown wooden paneling on the walls. “What is this place?”
“We sell candy.” She kept that smile, the one reserved for children that Ne Zha hated when he first got to the Celestial Realm. He had to slay many a man to help others get the picture he’s not to be underestimated. When she held that expression after centuries without it, Ne Zha had some other emotion stirring in his chest. “Would you like some?”
Candy. He knew about candy. It’s a delicacy that is ill afforded in the Celestial Realm, since it does not help the warriors. “I do not think I can have some.”
“I won’t charge your parents for just a little.” She reached behind the counter with knotted hands, plucking out a ball of gold foil. “Here, have some chocolate while you wait for them.”
Chocolate. He’s never eaten it before. His father told him a story long ago about an emperor who was gifted chocolate by a foreign land. The emperor did not understand, eating it and trying to find the benefit. Does it clear your mind? Does it make you stronger? What is the use of chocolate?
The foreign minister wrote back, saying there is no use. It is like tea, good for the soul. However, the nation already had tea for their souls, and therefore, no use for chocolate. They refused the gift and were never given the treat again.
Ne Zha unwrapped the pointless gift, studying the surface of it. It’s rough to the touch, and he can smell nuts inside. He crumbled just a bit of it in his fingers, rolling it between the pads until it became a fine grain. It doesn’t seem too bad.
He took a bite.
Hazelnut and some odd crunch enveloped him, followed by this twist of sweet and bitter. He felt his eyes widen, staring down at the treat. It’s…
Incredible.
Ne Zha turned around as the door slammed open, an out-of-breath Wukong greeting him. “Oh, hey, kid. We thought we lost you there.”
Macaque peeked out from behind him. “I told him you’d be fine and you are.”
“Ah! You must be his parents.” The women clapped her hands together. “I was just giving him some of our products—on the house for this bite, of course, since you weren’t around yet.”
“Great, thanks.” Wukong wrapped his arm around Ne Zha with more familiarity than he should. “Yeah, our son doesn’t get out much, so we’re trying to show him all the stuff the world has to offer.”
Macaque leaned down to look Ne Zha in the eyes. “Yeah. Did you like that, bud?”
Ne Zha looked between the monkeys, feeling too small all of the sudden. He usually was just a tall kid, but now he’s a kid, for real, with them studying his movements. His little treat that made him happy for a moment, in a way he hasn’t been in his immortal life. The taste still danced on his tongue.
“Can…” He swallowed, trying again with a dry throat. “Can I have more?”
The monkeys froze, like they thought it was a trap. Then Wukong nodded, slowly looking at the display of chocolate. “Which ones do you want to try?”
“I-I do not know.” Ne Zha inched to the labels, not understanding what each ingredient could add to the flavor. “I would simply like to try them.”
“I know more about hum—ehhh, food in general, than him.” Macaque moved the two out of the way so he could start rattling off words, pointing to this and that as the woman packed up a box of samples for them. Ne Zha had to lean forward to read the label on the box. Chocolate Cadabra. A store name making the products sound like magic. He wouldn’t argue with that assessment.
Macaque paid (somehow) and the three left, Ne Zha keeping the box close to his chest. Wukong pointed to the top of a building for them, summoning a cloud when no one was watching. They landed on the roof, overlooking the city. Ne Zha opened the box in his lap.
He pulled out another chocolate to taste, finding this one not as good. Right, not everything will appeal to him, or to everyone else. He handed that one to Macaque, then another minty-gross one to Wukong, before finding one he really liked. It took too long to realize he was kicking his feet like a toddler. He didn’t stop.
Ne Zha felt a nudge on his shoulder, Macaque gesturing to the skyline. He looked up, seeing the lantern in the center of the city light up. “They only just put it up for the festival in a few weeks. Do you like it?”
The paper masterpiece, giving light to the rest of the city. It’s not something Ne Zha understood, except when he considered how many people had to work to make it and how happy they must be that it was functioning. He looked back down at his chocolate. That lady must really like the candy to have a store dedicated to it, too.
She’s probably wondering if he likes it.
“I think I get it now.”
Ne Zha didn’t say more than that, tasting nougat with his eyes closed. He’ll convince the other gods just how beautiful things like chocolate are, even if they’re unimportant. It just makes him happy.