Chapter 344: Old and NewAcquaintances

"I wanted to ask you...

...what exactly does it mean for someone to be able to understand me?"

"..."

"..."

"...What?"

John was overwhelmed by emotions. He probably circulated through all the emotions he had learned in just the span of an hour.

First, it was worry. When Elliot called him through the radio with his voice clearly distressed, he immediately stopped tending to the animals and quickly bolted back to the house.

Second, it was confusion. To see Elliot and Ellie just relaxing with a stranger after that weird call, it truly almost fried his brains.

Third, it was shock. Shock to find out that the stranger was actually none other than his creator, Riley.

Fourth, it was familiarity and relief.

But now, John was once again confused. Riley came all the way here... to ask what it means that someone was able to understand him?

"It means acceptance."

"Hm?"

And before John could even come out of his confusion, Ellie answered for him,

"Well... usually," Ellie shrugged as she glanced at John, "But if it was said to you of all people, then it probably means they accepted you for who you are."

"..." John didn't really add any further, only returning Ellie's glance before also shrugging his shoulders and looking at Riley,

"Did... someone say that to you, boss?"

"I'm not your boss," Riley once again sighed, "But yes, someone did say that to me."

"Sorry... old habits die hard, as they say," John let out a small chuckle as he scratched his chin.

"...Is it a woman?" Ellie's eyes once again started to squint as she slightly leaned closer to Riley, "Did you tell her who you are? Your past? Darkday?"

"I told her everything, yes."

"No offense, but that woman might be a little crazy."

"She is," Riley nodded without any hesitation.

"E... Ellie," John slightly nudged Ellie, gesturing to her to stop, to which she only shrugged her shoulder in response. And after that, was silence. With only the sound of Elliot sipping his drink whispering in the air.

"..."

"..."

"Is that really what it means? That she accepted me?" Riley was the one to break the silence as he looked at Ellie.

"Honestly..." Ellie glanced at John for a few seconds before continuing with her words, "...I don't know. There's really no way of knowing until you spend more time with... whoever it is that said that to you."

"..."

"..."

And once again, no one spoke. But after a few more moments of awkward breaths, this time, it was John that broke the silence.

"Why... can't I sense you anymore?" John then said, "When you died, I truly lost all the connection I had with the other clones... and to you. It was like I became blind and... deaf. The only reason I didn't feel lonely was that...

...Ellie was with me. Why... why didn't I join the others?"

"..." Riley could really only look as John slowly held Ellie's hand. This was the very reason why he chose to approach Diley for this matter that truly confused him- John... is him filled with humanity.

"Because I cut my connection to you even before my death," Riley then said as he casually took another sip of his milk.

"...What?"

"The last time when we were sitting at a table together. I cut my connection with you there," Riley stated, "I saw the way you interacted with Ms. Croft- you were no longer just a simple clone. So I decided to reward you with independence."

"W... what?" John could not help but stutter as he tightened his grip on Ellie's hand. Ellie also turned her head to John, a smile already crawling on her face.

"I... I told you... you're free," Ellie let out a small chuckle as tears started to trail on her face. And very soon, John did the same; his tears, almost overflowing. It felt weird but good at the same time when Ellie told it to him 2 years ago...

...but hearing it from the one that created him, it felt real.

"T... thank you," John once again stuttered as he wiped his tears. As for Riley, he only looked at the trail of water that was still left on John's face- thinking when he was going to be able to do something like that again.

"John."

"Boss?"

"What does it mean to be human?"

"..."

"..."

"I... don't know." And after seemingly thinking through it for a few seconds, John just shook his head, "All I know is that I like... I like the life I have now. Although I can't use my powers in fear that someone would find out. Although we're in fear that someone would just come knocking on the door, making us pay for all the crimes we've committed...

...I am happy that I get to spend it with Ellie."

"And me!"

"And Elliot," John let out another chuckle as Elliot suddenly raised his hand.

"We try to be happy," Ellie chimed in as she also held John's hand, "It's a little fucked up since we don't deserve it... but we try."

"..."

"Running can get tiring, but we can't really complain," John nodded his head, "Because we already built a family here."

"I... see that, John," Riley then breathed out as he stood up.

"Y... you're leaving? Why don't you stay for dinner?" John said as he also stood up.

"No," Riley shook his head, "It's going to be morning in New Jersey soon."

"Oh, you're still staying in the states?"

"Haa... I miss the city."

"Yes," Riley nodded, "If you want, you can stay there as well."

"As much as we want to, we can't," John forced a chuckle, "And besides, we're already getting used to the farm-."

"I can get you new identities."

"What?" This time, Ellie also stood up, "How!?"

"Aerith... has connections. You can also work under the Superhero Agency under my name while you're in the city. Your existence is against the law here, after all."

"R... really? I... I haven't been complaining but I am getting tired of all the cows," John then let himself fall back to his chair, "Wait... no. It's... not for me to decide."

"Are you fucking kidding me!? I miss the internet!" Ellie immediately blurted out even before John could look at her, "Of course, we're going! My brother needs to go to a nice school too!"

"..." John blinked his eyes a couple of times as Ellie listed all the things she wanted to do, before finally turning his focus back to Riley. It is true that despite the seemingly peaceful life they have, they have already moved more than a dozen times in fear that someone recognized them in their old homes.

John still had no idea what Riley was doing back on Earth where he could just... be free, like him. But if he had to take a guess, it had something to do with Hannah. If that was the case, then John needed to be there to ensure that Riley wouldn't do anything... weird.

After all, if he was able to start a new life, then it wouldn't be impossible for Riley to do the same.

"...I guess I need to call you boss again?"

"Adam."

"Hm?"

"Or Paragon. That's the name I go by now. You don't need to call me boss since you can quit from the agency any time you want to," Riley then said as he started walking away, "You said it yourselves...

...you're free."

***

Riley left John and the others as he once again flew across the skies. They still needed time to properly arrange all they needed to arrange to leave the farm- and while they were doing that, Riley would be troubling Aerith with the favor of making their new identities.

Still- Riley truly didn't expect for Diley to have become like that. He already seemed human before Riley left the planet, but now... Riley doesn't even see himself in John anymore.

He was truly his own different person. It is... quite interesting- especially since Riley could actually still cancel John's existence if he wanted to in just a single snap.

John may have fully lost his connection to Riley, but Riley could still see what he sees if he wants to; he could still sense him. But of course...

...he wasn't going to do that.

"..." And while Riley was minding his own business flying through the skies, he could not help but halt as the silhouette that had been following him from behind for a few minutes now didn't seem to have any plans of stopping in tailing him.

And as soon as he halted his flight, the silhouette quickly hastened its pace; blowing the clouds surrounding it as it reached in front of Riley in no time at all.

Riley was about to say something since he recognized who it was but quickly stopped himself as he realized... that the woman floating in front of him wasn't actually Aerith.

"Do you have any identification on you?" The woman then said as she stretched her hand towards Riley, "It's just a simple check, you don't need to worry."

It would seem Riley was meeting more and more people in his old life,

"...Silvie Savelievna."