Once, a long time ago, there was a man.
For as long as he could remember, he had always, always, been by himself.
If he climbed down the mountain, he knew he would meet people, but he chose to be by himself.
Having the strength of a thousand men. Having the lives of a thousand men.
That man having a thousand memories, he knew that he was different from other people.
This man was afraid of other people.
He was afraid of getting hurt.
While he had so many powers, he was afraid of this self that he knew was so different from the world.
And so to him, the cat came one day.
This was a sudden encounter; another visiting him.
The cat bowed his head and said, “I have been following you for some time. You have a most unusual aura. I can’t help but be drawn to you. I realize that I am a stray cat, but won’t you please let me stay by your side? Please, ‘God’?”
Since then, as he said, the cat never left the man’s side. He never left for a moment and that made God so very happy that a thought came to him.
Perhaps I can get along with them if it was a being other than a human.
If it is with beings who have had similar experiences, then we can have a great banquet.
And so, God wrote out many invitations.
In return, twelve animals arrived to see God.
The thirteen animals and God had a banquet each night in the moonlight, singing and dancing and laughing with each other.
At the banquet for the first time, God laughed. Even the moon watched quietly over the beings who did not look human.
However, after some time, the cat collapsed. His life had come to its end and there was nothing they could do.
Every one of them cried.
Every one of them realized… Eventually, everyone would die, no matter how much you loved them.
The banquet would end, no matter how much fun it was.
Eventually, everything would stop.
Then God cast one spell.
He drew a circle in the water with his finger.
He had the cat take a sip of water. Then he turned to everyone else and said,
“Let us make our friendship last for eternity. Even when we die, let us be bound by our friendship for eternity. No matter how many times we die. No matter how many times we are reborn. Again, in the same way, no matter how many times, let us have another banquet. Everyone getting alone for all of time. Let us be in Eternal Bliss.”
Everyone nodded in agreement and the rat took the first sip.
Then the ox.
Then the hare.
Then the monkey.
Then the dragon.
Then the boar.
Then the tiger.
Then the horse.
Then the snake.
Then the cock.
Then the dog.
Then finally, the ram.
In their turns, the water was divided equally.
At the end, when the last drop was gone, the cat began to gasp.
“God…” he said. “God, why did you make me drink that? God, I do not want eternity. I do not want eternal bliss.”
Those were unthinkable words to say.
To God and all the other animals, they were rejecting words.
Everyone was sad to hear them, and they turned against the cat.
Even so, the cat said, “God, God, even though you are frightened, let us accept that all things end. Even though it is sad, let us accept that life ends. God, even though it was for a just a short time, I was happy being by your side. We were to die, to be reborn, and meet again. The next time, rather than in the moonlight, I want to see you smile in the sun. I want to see you, laughing, surrounded by people.”
And for the last time, the cat raised its tail and died peacefully.
But none of the animals cared about the cat anymore. Because everyone felt they had been betrayed by the cat.
After that, one by one, they all died. In the end, the dragon died last.
And so God was alone once more.
Eventually, the day came that God died too.
However, he was not afraid because his promise to everyone supported him.
“Again.
We will have a banquet again.
Once again.
Many times.
Always unchanging.
No matter how alone I am right now.”
On the other side of that promise, everyone is waiting for me.
For as long as he could remember, he had always, always, been by himself.
If he climbed down the mountain, he knew he would meet people, but he chose to be by himself.
Having the strength of a thousand men. Having the lives of a thousand men.
That man having a thousand memories, he knew that he was different from other people.
This man was afraid of other people.
He was afraid of getting hurt.
While he had so many powers, he was afraid of this self that he knew was so different from the world.
And so to him, the cat came one day.
This was a sudden encounter; another visiting him.
The cat bowed his head and said, “I have been following you for some time. You have a most unusual aura. I can’t help but be drawn to you. I realize that I am a stray cat, but won’t you please let me stay by your side? Please, ‘God’?”
Since then, as he said, the cat never left the man’s side. He never left for a moment and that made God so very happy that a thought came to him.
Perhaps I can get along with them if it was a being other than a human.
If it is with beings who have had similar experiences, then we can have a great banquet.
And so, God wrote out many invitations.
In return, twelve animals arrived to see God.
The thirteen animals and God had a banquet each night in the moonlight, singing and dancing and laughing with each other.
At the banquet for the first time, God laughed. Even the moon watched quietly over the beings who did not look human.
However, after some time, the cat collapsed. His life had come to its end and there was nothing they could do.
Every one of them cried.
Every one of them realized… Eventually, everyone would die, no matter how much you loved them.
The banquet would end, no matter how much fun it was.
Eventually, everything would stop.
Then God cast one spell.
He drew a circle in the water with his finger.
He had the cat take a sip of water. Then he turned to everyone else and said,
“Let us make our friendship last for eternity. Even when we die, let us be bound by our friendship for eternity. No matter how many times we die. No matter how many times we are reborn. Again, in the same way, no matter how many times, let us have another banquet. Everyone getting alone for all of time. Let us be in Eternal Bliss.”
Everyone nodded in agreement and the rat took the first sip.
Then the ox.
Then the hare.
Then the monkey.
Then the dragon.
Then the boar.
Then the tiger.
Then the horse.
Then the snake.
Then the cock.
Then the dog.
Then finally, the ram.
In their turns, the water was divided equally.
At the end, when the last drop was gone, the cat began to gasp.
“God…” he said. “God, why did you make me drink that? God, I do not want eternity. I do not want eternal bliss.”
Those were unthinkable words to say.
To God and all the other animals, they were rejecting words.
Everyone was sad to hear them, and they turned against the cat.
Even so, the cat said, “God, God, even though you are frightened, let us accept that all things end. Even though it is sad, let us accept that life ends. God, even though it was for a just a short time, I was happy being by your side. We were to die, to be reborn, and meet again. The next time, rather than in the moonlight, I want to see you smile in the sun. I want to see you, laughing, surrounded by people.”
And for the last time, the cat raised its tail and died peacefully.
But none of the animals cared about the cat anymore. Because everyone felt they had been betrayed by the cat.
After that, one by one, they all died. In the end, the dragon died last.
And so God was alone once more.
Eventually, the day came that God died too.
However, he was not afraid because his promise to everyone supported him.
“Again.
We will have a banquet again.
Once again.
Many times.
Always unchanging.
No matter how alone I am right now.”
On the other side of that promise, everyone is waiting for me.
[Short story snatched from the manga Fruits Basket.]
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