v6c16: The Hills and Valleys of Life

Going tobogganing proved to be just the thing we all needed. One of the hills in the back was a bit misshapen from the battle, but it had emerged largely unscathed.

“Waaaaaaaah!” Zhuye cheered as we thundered down the slope. He was in his momma’s lap, and Meimei was in my lap, all three of us on the piece of wood. He raised his little arms in the air and hollered for all he was worth.

Both of us couldn’t help but laugh at the enthusiasm. It was his first time on the slopes, and the little man had fallen in love instantly.

“Was that fun?” Meimei asked him as we hit the bottom and finally stopped. Zhuye’s response was to make a ‘guuuuuu!’ noise, and start bouncing up and down.

“Want to go again?” I asked. I don’t think he understood the question, but he certainly understood me getting off the toboggan and beginning the climb, the sled behind me. His bouncy cooing noise got louder and more enthusiastic as we got higher up the hill.

Beside us, the slope was full of traffic. Big D and Rizzo, both in human form, went down nearby laughing with good cheer. The small woman had a comfortable seat in between Big D’s legs and was leaning backwards against his chest.

Peppa and Chunky, also in human form, had decided to forgo a sled and instead had a different, much more draconic steed. Washy belly slid down the hill way faster than we had gone. He had used his hydrokinesis to melt and refreeze several sections of the hill, creating several advanced courses that were rather intense, even for us cultivators. The prim and proper Peppa leaned forwards and used Washy’s horns like a motorcycle’s handlebars, while the giant Chunky let out thunderous laughs while holding onto her waist.

Gou, Xianghua, and Bowu were on their own toboggan, having chosen a bit less of an advanced course, while Yun Ren was using the skis I had made for him last year, carving down the slope beside them… along with Babe. Apparently me calling the technique ‘carving’ had piqued his interest, and so he was standing on a piece of wood and ‘cutting’ his way down the hill, his plow on the planks behind him.

Yin was using one of Washy’s ice tracks, Huo Ten on her back and Noodle on her arm. The monkey was hooting and hollering at the speed they were going, and then on one corner he jumped up and grabbed Yin’s arm so he could swing out wide before being pulled back in.

The Torrent Rider was, of course, on the hardest course, doing tricks on a halfpipe. Delun had decided to take the slower route and had Shaggy Two in the toboggan with him, the dog barking excitedly at every trick that the young man performed. Considering he had no foot straps, it was more snow surfing on a plank of wood than snowboarding, and honestly that made it more impressive as he performed what was basically a 2340° spin and aced the landing like it was nothing.

Tigu and Xiulan were clearly having a bit of a race down the hill—only for both of them to get beaten by Spooks, much to the young Thunderhoof’s amusement.

We eventually reached the top again. Gramps was seated at the top of the hill, looking amused at the activities. He had some tea and a small smile. I left him to it and I maneuvered us into position on one of the more gentle parts of the slope.

But before I could get back in behind Meimei, I heard the pounding of feet. I looked up just in time to see somebody else jump into my spot.

Tigu grinned and looked at me hopefully—then squawked as Big D in human form shoved himself in behind her, leaning forward to hug Meimei and squashing the orange haired girl between them. Big D didn’t wait, shoving off with his legs and sending them back down the hill.

“Waaaaah!” cheered Zhuye

“Yeaaaaah!” cheered Meimei.

“Don’t squeeze so hard, stuuuuuupid!” roared Tigu.

“Ahahahaha—ack! No biting! No biting!” yelped Big D as Tigu sunk her teeth onto one of the offending limbs keeping her from raising her arms to cheer.

The toboggan bounced and jolted all the way down the hill until at the end, where Big D and Tigu bailed out with an explosion of snow. With two pops, a cat and rooster raced off, the rooster pecking at the cat’s head while the cat hissed and spat and batted at the ball of feathers chasing her.

Then there was another pop as they returned to human form and just started wrestling in the snow. The normally regal-looking Big D looked significantly less regal with his red cap pulled over his eyes while he and Tigu flailed at each other. Not really fighting, and all technique forgotten as they simply tried to shove each other… until they both collapsed in the snow and started laughing.

They acted so mature most of the time, but they really were just big kids.

Not that I was any different.

Meimei, for a moment, looked like she wanted to scold them for involving Zhuye, but instead just sighed and shook her head, looking back up the slope at me and shaking her head again. I turned to where I also had company; Rizzo and Xianghua just shook their heads at what was going on. Xiulan dropped her sled and turned to Rizzo who had dropped her own. Taking the invitation, both of them went down the hill together.

I looked at the abandoned piece of wood, and then turned to the old man.

“Hey, Gramps!” I called. He turned to look at me, and then at the toboggan.

Shen Yu rose regally from his seat and got in behind me on the sled.

It was a nice ride until halfway down, where I purposefully torqued it. The sled jerked sideways, hit a patch of snow, and spilled us both out.

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The old man stared at me as I started laughing. Soon enough, he joined in.

For long enough for me to let down my guard, and then I found a snowball smacking me in the face.

Man, all we needed was hot chocolate and this would be perfect.

===========================

We spent most of the day outside—Zhuye was so bundled up he couldn’t really feel the cold, and when it was finally time to stop going down the hill he threw a little bit of a tantrum.

Not full on screaming, but he was definitely upset it was time to stop the fun. It was a little bit of a downer… though also kind of funny because it was the first time Xiulan’s braids didn’t do the trick of distracting him.