The sun's warmth was just beginning to touch the tips of the trees as Wukong stood outside the cave, stretching his arms wide. He let out a loud, exaggerated yawn, the echoes ringing across Flower Fruit Mountain.
"Up, up!" he shouted, turning toward the cave entrance. His voice was bright and full of energy. "We got things to do!"
Inside the cave, the little girls stirred, the warmth of the morning sun coaxing them from their sleep. Their little faces were still half-buried in the blankets they had made of soft leaves. Climber's tiny hands gripped a stick she had been holding all night, her fingers twitching with sleep. Little Sneak curled up tighter, a soft noise escaping her lips as she squirmed. Firebug remained the most still, her round eyes barely open, not yet ready to face the day.
"Come, come! Time to wake!" Wukong urged, leaning down to poke each of the little girls in turn. He could hear their soft murmurs as they started to wake.
"Unh..." Climber managed to say, her voice soft and unformed as she rubbed her eyes. She blinked at Wukong, unsure of what was happening.
"Ughhh..." Little Sneak groaned, shifting in place, clearly not yet ready for the day.
Firebug let out a small squeak but didn't move much, the sound of her groaning filling the cave.
Wukong smiled. "That's right, stay lazy for now! But soon, we're going out." He turned to leave, his tail flicking behind him, satisfied that they would eventually follow.
When the girls finally dragged themselves outside, their legs wobbly, Wukong gave a loud whistle. "This is it! Today's the day to move, move, move! We're going to the big wilds."
The little girls looked at each other, still not fully understanding. Climber's gaze flicked toward the trees, and Little Sneak's lips twitched, a small babble escaping her throat. Firebug stared at Wukong, her expression a mix of confusion and curiosity.
"Let's go!" Wukong announced with a grin, not waiting for a response. He began walking, his staff bouncing with every step. The little girls shuffled along behind him, trying to keep up. Their tiny legs carried them with difficulty as they followed, each step a little stumble.
They reached the forest's edge, and Wukong stopped, spinning around with a wild gleam in his eyes. "See these rocks? I want you to move them. Push! Pull! Whatever it takes, get 'em out of the way."
Climber reached for the smallest rock she could find, her hands grasping it with all her strength. She pushed and grunted, but the rock didn't budge. She let out a frustrated whine and kicked at the ground, her little feet stomping in determination.
Little Sneak took a different approach. She leaned down, her hands touching the earth as she tried to pull the rock free, making soft, unintelligible noises with every effort.
Firebug just stared at the rocks for a long moment, her eyes narrowing as she babbled a series of random sounds, her hands reaching for the largest rock but failing to lift it.
Wukong watched them with a grin on his face, the corners of his mouth twitching in amusement. "Not bad. Not bad at all."
The little girls grew tired quickly, their tiny arms and legs not yet used to such hard work. They sat down on the grass, breathing heavily, their bodies exhausted from the effort.
"Rest!" Wukong commanded, sitting down beside them. "You did good. You're learning, learning fast."
Firebug, after a moment, let out a small "Hmm?" Her eyes blinked up at Wukong.
"Eh? You got something to say?" Wukong raised an eyebrow, surprised.
But before Firebug could attempt any more words, Climber suddenly stood up and pointed toward the trees, a soft babble slipping from her mouth. It was her first attempt at communication.
"Ahh! Hahh!" she said, her voice high-pitched and full of wonder.
Wukong paused. "What? You see something?"
Little Sneak, too, seemed to try something, though it was just a string of noises, her mouth forming shapes but no real words. "Guh guh!"
"Alright," Wukong chuckled, shaking his head. "Not quite words yet, but hey, you're trying. That's a start."
The little girls looked at each other, uncertain but pleased with themselves. There was a sense of achievement, though their communication was still far from clear.
Wukong grinned again, his eyes sparkling. "Let's keep moving. We've got more to see."
The journey continued. It was slow at first, with the little girls occasionally babbling or pointing at things they found interesting. But with each step, they grew more accustomed to the world around them, their tiny bodies learning the rhythm of their new life.
And though they hadn't yet formed words, Wukong could see it—just a glimmer in their eyes—that someday soon, they would speak. But for now, their adventure was a silent one, their movements and expressions more than enough to show that they were ready for whatever came next.
Wukong sat with the little girls gathered around him, each of them restless, their movements reflecting their growing curiosity. The time had come to give them names, and the air seemed to crackle with the weight of the moment.
"Alright, listen up, little girls," Wukong said, his voice carrying a bit of solemnity as he looked each of them over. "Names are more than just words—they're your identity, your power. So, I'm giving each of you a name that'll help you remember what you're meant to be."
The little girls' wide eyes stared at him, their babbling growing quieter as they sensed something important was happening.
"You," Wukong pointed to Climber, who was tugging at a tuft of her hair, looking a bit distracted. "You're strong, aren't ya? Always climbing up the hardest of hills, pushing yourself beyond what others would dare. You'll be called Shan Zhi. 'Mountain's Strength.' It's a name for someone who's got the heart of a mountain—solid and unyielding."
Climber made a soft noise in her throat, as if understanding the meaning, her eyes brightening slightly. Though she couldn't speak, it was clear that the name resonated with her.
Wukong then turned to Little Sneak, who was gazing at the ground with her hands in her lap, always careful and quiet. "You," he said with a grin, "are clever. You keep to the shadows, always finding your way around and out of trouble. I'll call you Xiao Wei. 'Little Secret.' A name for someone who knows how to move without being seen."
Little Sneak's eyes flicked up at the name. She gave a small nod, her soft coo seeming to acknowledge it in the only way she knew.
Lastly, Wukong looked at Firebug, who had been observing everything with a quiet intensity, her small hands resting against the ground as she pouted. "And you," he chuckled, "you're always ready to ignite, aren't ya? Always bringing the heat with your energy. You'll be Huo Yan. 'Flame,' or 'Fire Blaze.' A name to remind you that when you burn, you burn bright."
Firebug made a little sound, her chubby fingers curling around a small rock she was playing with, as though the name had already begun to settle into her.
"There," Wukong said, standing up and brushing dirt from his clothes. "Now you've got names. Shan Zhi, Xiao Wei, and Huo Yan. You're no longer just little girls. You're strong, you're clever, and you're fiery. And now the world will know you by your true names."
Though they couldn't speak their names yet, each of the girls seemed to glow with a new sense of purpose, as if the names themselves held a hidden power. Wukong's tail flicked with a sense of pride.
"Now," he continued, "let's get back to training."