Morning broke over Flower Fruit Mountain, the sun's light cutting through the mist that blanketed the peaks. Sun Wukong woke to the sound of giggling and rustling leaves. He rubbed his eyes, annoyed, and peered out of his cave.
The girls were up to something.
The smallest one, who Wukong had nicknamed "Little Sneak," was dangling from a low-hanging branch, her tiny legs kicking as she tried to climb higher. The one with the obsession for sticks, "Climber," was egging her on, clapping her hands as if this were the grandest performance she'd ever seen. Meanwhile, the third, whom Wukong referred to as "Firebug," was stacking small rocks in a pile nearby, her expression serious.
"What are you three up to this time?" Wukong called, stepping out into the morning light.
Little Sneak glanced at him, startled, and promptly lost her grip. She tumbled into a bush, emerging with a mouthful of leaves and an indignant squeal. Climber laughed, hopping down from her perch to pull her out.
Firebug didn't even look up. She just kept stacking rocks, carefully balancing each one as if it were the most important thing in the world.
"You're lucky I'm too lazy to scold you," Wukong said, yawning as he grabbed a peach from a nearby tree. "But don't think I'm letting you run wild forever. You're gonna start training today."
The girls stopped what they were doing and stared at him. They didn't understand his words, of course, but his tone caught their attention.
Wukong grinned, biting into the peach. "That's right. You're not just gonna sit around eating my fruit and causing trouble. If you're gonna live here, you've got to learn how to survive. And lucky for you, I'm the best teacher you'll ever get."
Little Sneak tilted her head, chewing on a leaf she'd plucked from the bush. Climber picked up her favorite stick, twirling it like a sword. Firebug finally looked up from her rocks, her wide eyes curious but cautious.
Wukong tossed the peach pit aside and clapped his hands. "Alright, first lesson: follow me."
He led them into the forest, his golden staff resting casually on his shoulder. The girls toddled along behind him, their tiny legs working hard to keep up. Climber was the most enthusiastic, scampering ahead and poking at everything with her stick. Little Sneak kept stopping to grab shiny rocks and interesting leaves, stuffing them into her pockets. Firebug stayed close to Wukong, her gaze darting around as if she were studying the forest itself.
When they reached a clearing, Wukong stopped and turned to face them. "Lesson one: climbing. If you can't climb, you won't last a day on this mountain. Watch and learn."
He leaped onto a nearby tree, scaling it in seconds and perching on a high branch. "See? Easy. Now you try."
Climber didn't hesitate. She dropped her stick and scrambled up the tree with surprising speed, her tiny hands and feet finding perfect holds. She didn't reach Wukong's height, but she made it far enough to sit on a branch and look around with a triumphant grin.
"Not bad," Wukong said, nodding. "You've got potential, kid."
Little Sneak was next. She stared at the tree, her face scrunched in determination, and tried to climb. She didn't get far before sliding back down, her hands too small to grip the bark.
Wukong chuckled. "Don't rush it. You'll get there."
Firebug didn't even try. She just stood at the base of the tree, her arms crossed, glaring up at Wukong as if to say, What's the point?
Wukong raised an eyebrow. "Not a fan of heights, huh? Fine, we'll find something else for you later."
They spent the rest of the morning practicing, with Wukong giving tips between bites of stolen peaches. By midday, the girls were tired and covered in dirt, but they seemed happier than he'd ever seen them. Even Firebug had loosened up, joining in the fun by tossing small pebbles at Wukong whenever he wasn't looking.
After lunch—more mashed fruit, much to Wukong's dismay—he moved on to lesson two: balance.
"You're all wobbly little things," he said, gesturing to a fallen log that stretched across a shallow stream. "If you can't keep your balance, you'll fall on your faces every time something big comes after you. So, get on that log and don't fall off."
Climber was the first to step onto the log. She wobbled but kept her footing, her arms flailing as she made her way across.
"Not bad," Wukong said.
Little Sneak was next, but she barely made it halfway before slipping into the stream with a splash. She came up sputtering, glaring at Wukong as if it were his fault.
"Don't look at me," he said, smirking. "That's on you."
Firebug hesitated, staring at the log as if calculating her chances. Then, to Wukong's surprise, she didn't step onto the log at all. Instead, she crouched by the stream and started piling up rocks again, creating a makeshift bridge.
"Clever," Wukong admitted, watching as she carefully placed each stone. "But life doesn't always give you time to think. Sometimes you've just gotta go for it."
By the time the sun set, all three girls were exhausted. Climber had mastered the log, Little Sneak had fallen in three more times, and Firebug had created a sturdy path of stones across the stream.
Wukong carried them back to the cave, one under each arm, as they dozed off. He set them down on their makeshift beds, watching as they curled up and fell into a deep sleep.
"They're tough, I'll give them that," he muttered, sitting by the fire. "Still got a long way to go, though."
As the flames crackled, Wukong stared into them, his mind drifting. He hadn't planned on taking care of these kids. He didn't even know why he'd done it. But now that they were here, he couldn't imagine life without them.
"They've got potential," he said softly, almost to himself. "Maybe more than I realized."
The thought lingered as he leaned back against the cave wall, a grin spreading across his face.
"Guess I'll stick around and see what they're made of."