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Caelus has been acting off since returning to the Express after that strange text from Kafka. He's been sitting in the parlor car staring blankly at his hands for a while now, when Dan Heng decides to finally intercede. ❝Are you alright?❞
The trailblazer's voice is barely above a whisper when he answers, ❝I'm not a real person...❞
A sigh. Dan Heng doesn't know what Kafka told them, presumably Caelus will open up about it eventually, but he is quite familiar with the concept of identity issues. Putting his book down and crossing the Parlor Car, he takes one of Caelus' hands in his and directs his fellow trailblazer to the Passenger Car and into the Archives, somewhat roughly depositing them onto his bed before pressing some buttons on the terminal. ❝What video do you want?❞
❝Huh?❞
❝The screen.❞ He points toward the platform below their feet. ❝I prefer it showing water. What do you want to see?❞
What does he want to see? Would it even be a want? Can he have desires at all? He's artificial. Are his interests his or was he just designed that way?
❝Caelus.❞
(I have to make a choice anyway. Uh...)
❝Here.❞ Dan Heng does something with the terminal that Caelus can't see and the screen below fades from water to space, then some soft music begins to fill the room as his friend joins him on the thin mattress.
❝Caelus, lis–pay attention.❞ Avoid using Kafka's word. ❝I don't know what she said to you, but you are a real person.❞
He shakes his head, feeling his chest tighten. ❝I'm just an artificial body for hosting a stellaron. We played a game and I... I know she wasn't lying. I don't...❞
Ah, yes, he can see how that would be distressing to learn. They'll have to pick apart her words carefully later. But for now his friend needs comfort, and he is uniquely positioned to offer it. ❝And I'm just another reincarnation in a long line of them. If we only look at the technicalities of our lives that's all we'll see; cold logic. We're more than that. We're our own people because of what we've been through, the choices we've made, and most importantly because we say we are. No-one knows you better than yourself. Not even Kafka.❞
❝But she does know me. Apparently she basically raised me.❞
❝She knew the old you. Memories make a person. Do you think March always acted like she does now? Her old self could have been vastly different. My predecessor certainly was compared to me. Kafka doesn't know your current self the way you do.❞ He can hear the way Caelus' breath shudders in their chest, see the tears gathering in the corners of their eyes threatening to fall, and he knows his words are reaching. Good. ❝You made this self. You are Caelus; fellow trailblazer, mobile game addict, the most annoying dumpster diver I've ever known, and one of my best friends. You are real.❞
❝I... don't think I've ever heard you give anyone a pep talk before.❞
❝And you likely won't again. These are extenuating circumstances.❞
Caelus laughs and it feels like a weight has been lifted from his chest, starlight flooding the room from below and quiet music filling the space between him and Dan Heng. Yeah, yeah this is real. So maybe his body was specially designed and built, but that doesn't make him any less him. If Dan Heng is their own person despite it all then so is he. ❝Thanks.❞
❝Don't mention it.❞ Dan Heng stands up and returns to the terminal, back to scrolling through data like usual. ❝Stay as long as you like.❞