Han and Shitpancake
I haven’t been taking many pictures of the kitties with all the wedding stuff going on, but I need to introduce the boys! I live with four tuxedos now. The two snuggle bugs in the picture are Shitpancake (front) and Han (behind). Shitpancake has the crazy white eyebrows and Han (as in Solo) has the white stripe up his nose. Han is the oldest of the boys.
…Time for this week’s story…
From Another Life
Nearing the end of writing a manga which had spanned most of his life, Haruto took two weeks off. The break was agonizing for fans, but a rare reprieve for him. With only a few years left of the story, Haruto could feel the toll it had taken. The average lifespan of a mangaka is lower than that of the average Japanese person, and Haruto had lost several friends in recent years. Now he too was nearing that age.
Was dedicating his life to this story which burst forth from his very soul worth missing out on most of his life? He always wanted to see his friends more, to spend more time with his family, but the story always came first. What would be left for him after it was all done? Why had he thrust himself into this journey so many years ago?
Haruto wandered the city and found himself in a popular garden. He had been here once long ago, but not since before he began writing his manga. Couples took pictures in front of scenic backdrops, a group of people did tai chi together, and others meditated in the serene beauty and tranquility.
Seeking some isolation, Haruto meandered into a corridor of beautiful flowers, trees, and bushes. At the end of the corridor was a foreigner with brown skin wearing a signature pirate hat from his manga, meditating in the lotus position on a stone bench. Haruto approached quietly and paused for the beautiful moment. The moment was shattered when the foreigner spoke in perfect Japanese and without opening his eyes.
“Konnichiwa, Haruto-chan. It is so nice to see you again.”
There was nobody else for the stranger to speak to. Haruto had kept his identity private for most of his time as a mangaka. After taking a moment to collect himself, he could not deduce the stranger’s intentions, so he tried to deny any association.
“Konnichiwa. You have my apologies, but I do not think we know each other.”
“Not in this life, my friend, but you know me and I know you.” There was hardly a breath after Haruto had finished speaking before the stranger replied. Haruto took a moment to consider his response. He replied again in Japanese, assuming the foreigner would have a limited grasp of the language, but the foreigner responded without an accent for the entirety of their conversation. His eyes remained closed, and his body did not move as he spoke with Haruto.
“From where then, do we know each other?”
“You’ve spent most of your life writing about my life before this one. You’ve done a great job. I am truly in awe of how well you’ve captured my journey, and I owe you a debt of gratitude.”
“I do not understand what you are saying.”
“Yes, you do.”
Haruto took a moment to consider the stranger’s words before replying. “You’re saying you are my main character. Am I mistaken?”
“That is correct.”
“How is that possible?”
“Everything that exists in this reality is but a grain of sand in the great expanse that is infinity. Within infinity, everything exists. Artists and writers see into other worlds and bring those worlds into this one. Souls inhabit the bodies of those worlds just like in this one. You have helped me in this life by writing the story of my previous life here for me to discover. It has helped me remember who I am, and what I’m here to do.”
“What are you here to do?”
“I’m here to thank you. In this life, I do not know any of this. I’m speaking to you while he meditates on other things. I will remember none of this when my body awakens.”
“I have been contemplating why I have dedicated my life to this story. Now, you tell me I’m writing your story. Can you tell me why I’ve done this?”
“Because, you said you would.”
“What do you mean?”
“Do you not realize you’re part of the story? You weren't on my crew, but you’re my biggest fan! You even named yourself after the sun in this life to honor me. After we saved the world in that life, you said to me, ‘In my next life, I’m going to write the story of your glorious legacy so it carries on forever!’ I didn’t think you’d actually do it.”
Haruto was speechless. He knew of which character the stranger spoke, and had planned that line years ago for the end of the story. It was one of many things he knew he would write one day which he had never shared. Hearing it was like hearing the words from someone who had already read the unwritten end of his story.
“How do you know that?”
“Because, you told me.”
“This is impossible.”
“All things are possible. That is a key principle of the story you’re writing. You may not know the good you’re doing, but there is no greater honor than keeping your word from one lifetime to another. You’re an amazing friend. In this life, we will not interact beyond this day, but I hope in the next life we can be friends. I must leave you. This meditation will end soon.”
“Wait, I have questions.”
An alarm beeped in the stranger’s pocket and after several breaths, the stranger’s eyes fluttered open. He shook in surprise at Haruto hovering nearby. Haruto tried speaking to him the way he had before, but the stranger stopped him. He pulled out his phone and spoke into it.
His phone spoke for him. “Konnichiwa. I’m from the United States. I don’t speak much Japanese. Can you speak slowly?”
The golden moment had passed. Haruto pointed at the hat and gave the stranger a thumbs-up. With a smile and animated gestures, the stranger expressed his love for Haruto’s series. Pretending to be a fan, Haruto treated the stranger to sushi and wished him a good life, saying goodbye with a hug.
Thank you for reading!
As a writer I felt like I had to come to terms with what I’m doing as a creator. When a writer kills thousands in a story, are they seeing what happened in another world or creating it? The conclusion I came it is - it’s both. We are seeing another world then interpreting it, and in doing so creating a new world which is the product of our interpreting the original. The more research that goes into the quantum and consciousness, the more this becomes something that is more scientifically feasible.
Today’s story muses on that interaction between the life, the soul, and the story. I hope you enjoyed.