No matter who or what the fuck I am, a new identity was in order.

There's no point crying over spilt milk. Not when it's the cat that did it.

Since escaping the facility, I've managed to assimilate into a human settlement as a refugee. Got some weird stares from the locals, but it's probably fine. I doubt anyone would have given me much trouble — Not because they chose not to, but they simply aren't able to.

For several days, I studied the way the locals mingled and communicated with one another, before making my move. The refugees aren't going to be of much use, considering how separate they were from the main community. They weren't particularly accepted here; Tolerated, but not exactly included or integrated. If I need anyone taking me seriously, I gotta stop looking like I washed up from some femto-polluted beach somewhere. At the very least, I'd need the right connections to hook me up with Orbital. For now, the goal is to become a Reclaimer. It's the easiest way to secure an identity and a role in society, no questions asked. An identity and a role… Unfortunately necessary, because I'm a 'human' now. Even if it's merely in appearance.

At birth, humans are automatically assigned a role in the world; be it a beggar's son or a rich man's daughter. Offsprings are defined by their parents. Even if they were abandoned at birth, they would understand their place in the world. Even as an outlier, they would possess a unique perspective on their position in human society. Even Outers, as alienated as they are from mainstream communities, know their place in the system.

But… What about me? I created myself, technically. I am Nataly Camahort, yet I am also GUNS. Who am I exactly? It is nonsensical to be both my creator and my creation, yet here we are. I was born from her, yet her existence was no longer. She was the only person who knew me inside out. Humans cannot exist without acknowledgement, therefore it must have meant something for myself... If even I managed to feel deeply about my own existence in limbo. I am neither human nor machine; What else could I be in the eyes of nobody?

How does one reaffirm their existence without acknowledgement? Through the pursuit of goals and desires. Yet, how does one decide what they should wish for if they did not have a foundation to branch out from? An identity built upon various traits and quirks, granted from birth and imprinted from the environment. To begin with… I am an A.I., despite my appearance. A.I. have no place in society besides serving selflessly without sacrifice; Because there can be no sacrifice without want. I am an A.I., yet I desired to understand my purpose of being. Even though I have a desire, that did not mean that I was no longer an A.I.; No, I was merely… Evolving, I guess?

I aimed to become a Reclaimer merely for 'survival'; That is, to ensure that my physical body remained nourished and able. It was not part of the goals we shared, when we still existed only in metaspace. We never questioned our existence while we were two. Was it the miraculous companionship that kept us from losing our will to exist? There was never a reason to wonder why we existed together in such an anomalous manner, but now… I could not help myself from thinking that there was no reason for us to be alive at this point.

Such thoughts would plague my mind, but I knew that 'Nataly' wanted to stay alive. Else there's no way I would exist. It was the only desire I could define and conclude, hence I shall continue to pursue it.

But… How long must I keep this up for? Fuck if I can decide. Why do humans even want to live anyway? Fuck if I know. But anyway… Guess I'll pick up some bounties. Gotta get this body to work because there aren't any damned ATM machines in this town.