Sun finishes her Tea placing it down, she puts her hands together and speaks with a smile "I was not always a Monk, I grew up on Junyo on one of the artificial fishing islands, used to collect Algae for Samurai, of course on these islands there's always crime and I fell into it. I worked as a geisha, for a time" Sun pauses looking over at Mary "It was better then collecting Algae for food paste, I fell in love with a man, and I got tattoos to show my love. I joined his gang, and soon I was pregnant" Sun twiddles her hands, she isn't sad more bittersweet "I made mistakes, that cost the life of my daughter and my boyfriend. I was at a precipice so vast, I nearly went myself but a Buddhist monk saved me. I spent time at the Monastery at New Tokyo. Living with what I have done, and what I was" Sun rolls up one of her sleeves gently showing a full-sleeve Koi-themed tattoo. Those given out to gang members
<<Your… d-daughter… your boyfriend...>>. Mary was shocked and a bit traumatised about the Sun's past. She wanted to touch that tattoo, all what remained about her "family": <<I-I wanted to know them...>>. She sighed, looking at Sun maintaining her hand in the direction of that tattoo <<I'm very sorry… so much...>>. The cup of Mary was empty like the Sun's one. <<...I can't imagine the tragedy of death for a little child...>>.
Sun rolls up her sleeve, rather then wallow in self-pity she speaks confidently in her kind manner "It was much, but in time I found peace with myself in what I did and what happened to me. Finding that, peace on the path is the most difficult think for Buddhists, to let go of pain." she lets out a small breath looking to Mary "By experiencing this pain and suffering, I am able to help other people and save others who may have gone or have to go through the same experience. That is why I try to help as much as I can"
<<You're strong, Sun!>>. Mary said wiping a small tear, it's unknown if it was going to crying for sadness or for the happyness to meet an optimist woman like Sun. <<You're strong like the sun, more than at any sun existent in this Sirius Sector… it's not a compliment. This is a fact. People thinks to be strong with Manpower, firepower, political powers. No! Why all that stuff, when you have just… love?>>
Sun smiles and chuckles lightly "Stranger then any sun existent? I'm afraid I must not let this go to my head. We all have our inner-strength, I'm sure you do as well." She pats Mary on the shoulder "But what of you Mary, what brought you on your religious path?"
<<I'm just raised to be faithful>>. Mary just responds with a simple answer. <<That's my problem. My life has been too good and perfect to see bad things, and they also warned me about the dark side of the life. But never experienced on my skin… excluding a small particular...>>
Sun raises a eyebrow at the words small particular, but she doesn't push just cheerily smiling at Mary "It is good to have no hardships but in my experience pain and pleasure are of the same nature. Although they feel different, they both arise from the same sea of delusion and karmic action. Pleasure or pain, one or the other, rises and falls like the tides in the ocean of samsara" Sun states taking a breath "The continuous change, love and hatred, happiness and strife, peace and war, follow each other in rapid succession. In my path, encountering sufferings contributes to my elevation on my spiritual path, to transform the calamity and misfortune into my path."
<<Yeah, yeah I know that...>>. Having nothing else to tell to continue the topice, Mary didn't know how to proceed the discourse and she remained silent waiting for something else that Sun continues. She was calmed and keeping that cute smile that always has. Meanwhile people around, or most of them, would have took a look at that girl even for a few seconds contemplating her sweetness.
Sun relaxes for a moment, looking around the garden and taking in the sights she then looks back to Mary "Are you certain there's nothing bothering you? Anything you confide in me shall be kept secret child." she says with a sweet smile.
<<I...>>. Mary didn't know how to answer. She mentioned about a small particular fact that could keep in secret and that could grieve her but she doesn't know how to explain it or what could be the Sun's reaction. She's aware that she's also a bit different than every other human and she's also afraid about some discrimination that could obtain because of that. Trying to maintain that smile but changing in a serious (or a bit sad?) she confess a small secret: <<I'm ill>>.
