Hearing Remi speak was always interesting to Shoko. The young woman usually had difficulty engaging in casual conversation, unless the topic happened to be hornets. Thankfully her prowess in battle was not affected, which made her a prime candidate for the eight tailed beast. Of the rambling Remi did, she only barely attempted to answer the question given to her, otherwise she went on about hornet breeding. "Shokobachi?" The Empress repeated the name Remi had decided to give the new breed of hornets. In any other context she would find it odd to have an insect named after her. Hornets meant a lot to Remi, so Shoko had to consider what it meant to have her name a prized new breed after her. Shoko smiled, a subtle gesture she rarely expressed. "That is very sweet of you Remi. I look forward to seeing them in battle."

They continued to walk in silence for a short while, Shoko thought of the shambled answer to her question. Remi was clearly pinning for affection, and the comfort of another, that much was obvious, but to seek it in such a strange manner? She could not claim to know the inner workings of Remi's mind, nor did she know the specifics of her upbringing. However, that did not mean she could not empathize with her. Shoko knew what it felt like to be alone, as her childhood had not been kind to her. Perhaps she could give Remi some advise, as someone who was once a hopeless romantic. 

"Remi, are you a virgin?" Shoko asked bluntly. Remi was known to be lascivious, but the Empress was not want to pry into her soldier's sex lives for no good reason. "Humans are hardwired to seek a life partner, without one we can begin to feel as if something is missing. Is that what you are feeling, Remi?" 

Shoko did not voice it, but she was concerned as to what happened in Konoha to cause the hornet to flee. The troops were spread thin at the moment, as Nikuya was the only noteworthy soldier stationed there. If something serious had occurred, Nikuya had the means to contact her right away. 

Perhaps she should hurry things along.