Cherry Blossom Snow

A Brief Encounter

As Mara stood on the roof of a small stone fortress that rose above the sands of her planet's equatorial desert, she took notice of a spacecraft entering a low orbit in the sky above her. A tall and slender humanoid with smooth, golden brown skin then appeared directly in front of Mara, using her black feathered wings to float down until her black combat boots touched the ground. Her long, black hair and black dress flowed in the wind, while her bright, highly reflective yellow eyes shone like gold and gave the impression of mischievous intent. She had the same diabolical grin on her face that she had when Mara last saw her. Mara jumped down to the ground, using her silvery wings to gently slow her fall.

"Seraphim, what brings you here?" Mara's voice was tinged with both caution and curiosity.

"I came here to see you," Seraphim replied, her words carrying an eerie sense of sincerity.

"After so long, why now?" Mara asked, her wings twitching slightly in unease.

"Now seemed as good a time as any. I do hope I'm not interrupting anything important," Seraphim said, her mischievous grin never wavering.

Mara considered her words for a moment before responding, "No, I was considering moving to another part of the planet soon, but it's not an exceptionally urgent matter."

"Oh, good," Seraphim replied.

"So, what do you want?" Mara inquired, her red eyes narrowing.

"I already told you," said Seraphim. "I wanted to see you."

"Somehow, I find it hard to believe that you came here just to see me. You want something from me. What is it?"

"I need someone to talk to who isn't afraid of me. I need someone who looks down on me. Metaphorically, of course. You're so much smaller than I am."

"Yes, I am aware of that. You came to the right place. I'm glad you decided to visit. Tell me what you want."

"I was hoping you could deliver some messages for me. Have you spoken to my siblings recently?"

"They visit from time to time," said Mara.

"Good. Please tell them that I love them and I am sorry that my actions upset them." Seraphim's words were filled with a genuine longing.

"I can relay the message," Mara offered.

"Ever since I cut off contact, I've felt a strong desire for family that I've never been able to truly satisfy," Seraphim confessed. "From time to time I try to have some sort of family, for however long it may last, as a substitute for the family I once had."

"How has that been working out for you?" asked Mara.

"Right now, I have two adolescent humans I've raised as my children. They're wonderful people, and they do make me happy."

"How did you come to know them?" Mara's curiosity was piqued."Their parents were associates of mine for a time."

"So, tell me about them," said Mara.

"Susan is the younger one. She's obnoxious, but more competent than she acts. Devara's older, and he's a bit of a recluse. He's quite good with electronics. I do think of them as family but they're still not enough. I want you. I want Ja. I want Ur. I even want Io."

"You know, despite everything you've done, they still miss you," said Mara. "At the same time, though, they consider your behavior unforgivable."

"And what about you?"

"It's inexcusable, yes, but not unforgivable."

"At this point, I don't expect my siblings to forgive me," Seraphim said with resignation. "At the same time, I can't just keep trying to replace them with mortal beings. Eventually, they'll die, and I have to get a replacement. Susan and Devara should hopefully be the last if my plan works out. No matter the outcome of this specific experiment, I will get it right soon enough. I have to."