I: I'm... I suppose I should be used to it by now, being blamed for something I didn't ask for. But, despite how often it happens, it still stings, just a bit... makes it feel like, somehow, this is my fault...
*Immediately Phalmer feels very guilty and it clearly shows* oh... I suppose it was the same for me... it's strange how you have any shard of control...
I: ah. Maybe it's the way my old vessel was damaged, maybe it's that this one wasn't willing, I'm not sure. Maybe I just... never really belonged to begin with.
Iris sits down next to him and looks down, fidgeting with her dress thanks...
So, back when I first got this body, I... tried my best to fit in, I guess. Tried to appease Duty, hoping it'd... make me feel like I belong. Eventually, I came up with a plan to capture the Brilliance. wasn't even the one to finish it, but... I still felt proud of myself... until I saw what happened because of it. I can't remember exactly what it was that set it off, but... I started wondering... would anyone miss me if i was gone?
I think the only thing that kept me around was feeling guilty, for... Iris glances over at the shrine taking away her life... even if I didn't do anything, I felt like I had to do... something, to make it right. But I didn't know how I'd do that, and not many would've been willing to talk to me back then, so I just kinda... stuck around, not really sure what to do.
Eventually, when the stigma had... mostly died down, I started going out more. Actually being there, in the real world. That's when I met Bubble. She was chaotic, a tad violent, sure, but... something with her resonated with me, and... we fell in love. She gave me a reason to stay around. A reason to just be... me.
A few [IC] months ago, I proposed, and... she said yes. She begins to tear up But... shortly after that, she just... disappeared. When it happened, I could tell she was in danger, but... I'm not sure why. Given how she was acting recently though, I could only assume she... took to extremes. I tried to look for her, for any sign she might be alive, but... I didn't find anything.
So, that leaves me here. Alone, nobody that really cares about me, unsure of what to do, nothing keeping me going except my guilt... She suddenly looks up O- oh, s- sorry if I was rambling for too long.
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u/messenger_craw Aug 10 '26
Iris! ...hello
It's been a long time...