Unexpected Answers
Soifon sat amidst the cascading petals, while the wind caressed her face. She shut her eyes, breathing in the scent deeply, willing herself to drift away. Her solitude lengthened with the shadows of the night. The moon shone down, bright and pure, drawing her into its depths, but she could not look into it, for fear of what she might see in herself.
She was startled by a sound behind her and she drew up defensively. "Who goes there?"
A slim figure stepped out of the shadows, taking Soifon by surprise. "I was not expecting you."
"May I sit?" the unexpected visitor enquired. Soifon nodded.
They sat next to one another in silence.
"You are sad," came the observation after awhile. Soifon said nothing and drew her knees up closer.
"Why?" came the question.
Soifon shrugged. She was not compelled to share the deepest thoughts of her heart, and truth be told, she did not quite understand what she was mourning over.
She has apologized. I think… no, I know that I have forgiven her. So what is this?
Our friendship is irredeemably altered, and I see no way out. That… that is the sadness.
She left without saying goodbye. I wish she had come to say goodbye to a friend who was injured, who would have been so glad to see a friend's face then.
"What can I do to help you be rid of the sadness?"
Soifon shook her head. This is not a matter of doing. The time is past.
The silence fell again. The figure did not leave.
Soifon took a deep breath and spoke. "I would like to ask you a question."
"Yes."
"What… what is it like to be you? To be ever focused on relentlessly performing a task?"
"I do what I do, because I must. Because it is commanded, asked, required of me."
"Could someone else do it instead?"
"I am replaceable. I have been replaced. You know that."
"What I mean is… does he need you?"
"In no absolute sense. But I am always by his side. I come and go, but it is always me."
"What is it like to be replaceable?"
"I do not know. I am never around long enough to find out."
How true. Only those who stick around will know that pain, thought Soifon. She took another deep breath, and stood up.
"Thank you," said Soifon. "I was not expecting anyone tonight... but thank you for letting me ask you these questions." They have weighed on my mind for the longest time.
"I do not understand."
"You may never understand. But that is all right." Soifon turned and returned to her quarters, her loneliness somewhat eased.
In the sakura grove, Nemu Kurotsuchi sat as still as a rock until daybreak.