foodbin | pc catchall for shess (nonbelligerent)

[She pauses for a moment, but...]

Shess... What was that?

A memory?

I know, obviously, but...

[She sighs.]

You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to.

... What is there to say on it? It should've been self-explanatory enough.

...Right.

[She looks away.]

I’m sorry, at any rate.

What for?

Your loss.

[...

it's such a strange thing to hear, given everything. not necessarily in a bad way, though.]

... Thank you. I'm glad just to be able to remember it, at least.

[She tilts her head.]

Why wouldn't you remember it?

... Like my mother said: she was an "error" to be corrected. She was effectively written out of existence, and with her, all memories of her.

I only began remembering her a few weeks ago, when Miki and I shared memories.

That's...

[She doesn't have a word for it for a long moment, but her expression says enough.]

That's horrible.

... Well, that's how things are. Whether it's this world, mine, or another's, we're at the whims of the universe.

In any case, it really was a long time ago—I think I was around Ookurikara's age back then...? While losing my memories and regaining them has affected the process, there was never any choice but to move on. She would've wanted that, as well.

[There’s a few seconds of hesitation, but...]

You don’t have to act like it’s okay, you know. It’s okay to be upset.

[he just smiles, even if there's something melancholy about it.]

It was millions of years ago, Emma. While I won't say it hasn't left lasting effects, I've already given myself the chance to mourn here.

The fact of the matter is that if I held onto every bit of grief, eternal life would be little more than a living hell.