There was no coincidence that Jade happened to become his shinki. He had seen things, awful, terrible, horrible things that kept him awake at night, staring at the ceiling, and they replayed in his head with such ferocity that it was a wonder he could fall asleep. If he allowed his mind to wander, he could be slammed with visions of those blood-red eyes and the sights Jade the Necromancer saw with his own two eyes, of the things he had created... things.

Things like him. Decoys. Inhuman. Clones. Placeholders of people, many of which died in Jade's quest to find... what could he call it? Happiness? Solace? Truth? Forgiveness?

Jihiki. The name he had given him, a pardon from buddha, something he now was, would be, until his time ended here, if it ever ended. It wasn't a name he picked due to happenstance, it was chosen. The name was inevitable. And so where they, thrust together, a man who was essentially a god of creation to clones, and now overseen by him, a god who was a clone. No coincidence. None whatsoever.

"That's not the right question," He finally answered, and he shook his head, mismatched eyes looking up at Jade, bright as the sun finally sank behind the horizon, giving way to darkness. "...You weren't bestowed upon me because I needed a weapon, or a servant, or anything like that. It happened because it was inevitable.

"I've seen what you cannot... and I know, just from that alone you and I are bound together... that it was destiny that you and I met on this plane. It would have been impossible, in any other circumstance, except this one." There was a pause... but he did continue.

"I don't need you for anything. Not a task, not protection... that's just a duty that comes with you being my shinki. But I don't need you for anything.

"...I just need you."