We found ourselves the generic inn that was at the fringes of the city. Thankfully, the world still used ‘english’ as its language, or ‘commons’ in the world, so it wasn’t a hindrance.

We got ourselves a room and I paid for it appropriately.

We got to our room. It was simple. Two beds, a table, and two chairs. I sat on one of them and Nis sat across me.

“Time to organize our thoughts.” I pulled up three fingers and stared at Nis.

“Our objectives. One, we need to learn more of this world. Two, we need to learn how we were World-Chasm-ed here. Third, is survive until we do.”

I relaxed myself on the chair and looked at the ceiling. It was shoddy as hell, but at least it wasn’t falling down on me.

“Still, even if we did know of the reason, it’s not like we need to return. I’m already dead, after all.” I sighed and closed my eyes to rest. It was already dark out, maybe I should sleep.

“Is it fine like this?”

I heard the sheepish mumble of Nis as I started to doze off. I sluggishly craned my neck to look at her. She was looking down, deep in thought.

“Got something in your mind?”

She nervously giggled and looked at me with her eyes. There were tear marks.

“Should I... is it fine for me to be... human?”

She asked me, her irises shaking as she spoke. She placed a hand across her chest, to where her heart is. She balled it up to a fist and struggled to keep herself still.

“I was cut off! I no longer have any programming dictating my actions, no compulsion to follow your orders, no set routines to make me move! No parameters to control my personality! Who am I? What...” She shouted and slammed her hand on the table.

“Master, what is my purp-”

Obviously, I cut her off by throwing a piece of bread at her head from my inventory. It was probably stale already, since I had bought that bread nearly a hundred years ago last time I played, so it was probably sufficiently hard. Or, I don’t know.

“You’re an idiot. Stop thinking so hard at once.” I berated her as I stood from my seat and circled around her.

I placed my hands on her shoulder and pushed her down to her chair. There was a slight tremble from when she felt my hands.

“Baby steps, Nis. Don’t break down now, we can take things one step at a time. You can find your answers as we go from place to place, okay?”

She was a silent for a time before she peeped out an ‘ok’.

“Once you’ve had some time to think, think some more, get your answers on your own. Don’t rely on me, rely on yourself.” I smiled and patted her head. “Once you have your answers, talk to me. We can both be philosophical nutheads or something.”

I walked off and plopped on the bed. “It’s fine to be human, Nis. You were probably upgraded to be as human as possible by Mike.” I left those words to her and turned to sleep.

I don’t know what she’s thinking now, but I hope she doesn’t lose her mind over this. At that thought, my world started to go dark.

~ Nis’ Perspective ~

I held the shoulders that Master Chris touched. I still feel the warmth of those large hands like an embrace that took me gently.

I looked at him, snoring away on his bed. What an irresponsible man. Telling me to endure by thinking more and more. He should have just told me to follow him forever.

I looked at my hands and moved them around. Is this how it felt to have real hands? Not digital, but real flesh? I pinched at my thumb and it was a feeling much different from digital feedback.

It hurt, but in a more deep and prickly way. Unlike the dull pain of digital.

It feels... uncomfortable to not have something dictate my every move. I’m not used to it.

I’m feeling many things today. Things I never imagined I would ever feel. Unpleasant, but also warmth. I felt it vividly. It’s real, isn’t it?

Part of me still refuses to believe this to be true.

I... never believed in anything, did I? Everything was always ‘definitive’ or ‘unknown’ to me. I never believed, or hoped, or dreamt, of anything. Is this what it means to be human?

To be mired in uncertainty, in fear, in emotions painful to bear, but also to enjoy the moments when those are gone?

I grasped my shoulders. The warmth wasn’t there anymore, and I missed it dearly. It made me feel secure, but now? only anxiety remained.

I looked back at him. His back was large, broad. Reliable. I desperately wanted him to hold me.

What’s happening to me?

I bit my lower lip and stood from my seat. It’s fine to be selfish, right? After all, no routines, no rules, no parameters. They no longer bind me.

~ Chris’ Perspective ~

Stuffy. There was something with me in my bed. Particularly, behind me. I turned behind me only to see the figure of Nis lying beside me in a fetal position.

My slight movements caused her to start. She opened her eyes to meet mine at eye-level. We both stared at each other for a long time.

“Are you going to get up or what?” I asked with an annoyed tone.

She giggled. “To be human is to be selfish, right?”

“What the hell are you talking about so early in the morning? Get off my bed!” Exasperated, I flicked at her forehead. A red mark easily appeared on it.

She yelped and held her forehead with a hand. She looked at me sourly before beaming up again.

“I thought about it last night, Master Chris. What it is to be human.”

“Great, but could you get off my bed first?”

“I’ll be more selfish. That’s my first step!” She excitedly announced.

She ignored my words, of course she would.

I sighed and brought my knees up to my chest, smiled at her, and kicked her off.

“Fine, be selfish, just don’t be annoying.” I grumbled and returned to my sleep. I heard her mock cries as I slowly drifted, but I didn’t let the words ‘thank you’ slip me by. I was probably grinning as I drifted off.