Tieria's hip rubbed against Regene's through the flimsy black fabric of very short shorts. Hiling walked around them, judiciously assessing their pose. She retouched the angle at which their arms were drawn around each other, tilted their heads until they touched at the temples. Then she took a couple of steps back to study the overall effect. Having styled Regene's hair to match Tieria's, she had created a living tableaux of symmetry.

"Hey, no moving!"

Regene's hands trailed down, lightly brushing the front of Tieria's shorts.

"Got it, oh great Hiling."

"Cut that out. Less talking, more posing."

She corrected the pose anew, cinching the arms around the waist and firmly placing the hands at chest level. Hiling carefully wove their fingers together. This was finicky work to get just right but as she expected Tieria and Regene slid into mirroring each other with smooth ease and grace. Their united hands were just the right gesture she wanted to create.

It occurred to Tieria, as he stood there in this awkward embrace, that he already spent so much time wrapped up in Regene that Hiling might as well be going for an all too literal allegory. Not a pleasant thought. To make matters worse, there was something distressing about Regene matching his hairstyle. Regene did this on occasion and it always bothered Tieria somewhat. Now that he was well on his way of regaining a kind of autonomy, albeit limited, the unease hit much harder. Tieria was aware that he had succumbed to numbness partially to avoid dealing with a situation that he was powerless to at all improve. With a greater sense of what was happening around him, and an investment on his surroundings, the potential for all sorts of suffering was upped considerably. He would not go back to the way things were but the long period of apathy had worn out his ability to cope with emotions in general.

The blending of identities during sex was one thing, having Regene so close to him looking so much like him, was another. It brought back very old fears, a festering nest of trauma Tieria had never managed to escape from or confront.

Humans would call it "existential dread", and the threat of losing one's self via duplication had occupied many an author. Tieria had read- actually read, as opposed to the way his peers normally consumed data- Dostoevsky's The Double, Saramago's The Duplicated Man, Edgar Allan Poe's William Wilson, with growing fascination. These were but a few examples of humans grappling with a notion that clearly fascinated them, to the point that the secondary literature was vast and diverse, but that they could never experience in quite the same way Tieria did. Even reflections of cloning and the like, while very interesting, failed short. For humans, it remained a symbol for something else, a kind projection that reflected an intricate relation between individual psychology and sociohistorical background. For Tieria, it was a literal matter of having someone who could actually be him.

Human beings were at liberty to read all sorts of possibilities and aesthetics into the notion perhaps because it did not actually affect them. Then again humans had the uncanny ability of building up from their experiences, often the most painful ones, in order to create stimulation works of art. Be it as it may, for all their skill and thousands of years of tradition and lore, human beings were limited in this regard: they could explore duplication of one's self and the inherent blurring of lines therein only as a hypothetical.

"HANDS ABOVE THE WAIST, REGENE!"

Tieria jumped. Hiling's mental outburst clashed, shattering Tieria's thoughts with such sudden violence that he broke his and Regene's unstable balance. If not for Regene catching him, Tieria would have fallen.

"Will you stop screaming into my mind?"

"Sorry, Regene was-"

"If you got a problem with Regene, take it up with Regene. Don't drag me into it."

Tieria disentangled himself and took off. Hiling followed.

"Got it, sorry."

Tieria was still not convinced.

"You're just saying that so that I'll pose for your pet projects. Why can't you use someone else?"

"You guys have just the right look. It wouldn't work with any of the others."

Regene remained put, quizzically following this conversation.

"I still don't get why we need to pose at all. Can't you draw from logs?"

"It's not the same. Come on, Tieria. I'm almost done."

Hiling tried her best at pleading but she was so obviously not used to it that it came across as petulance. It was also very reminiscent of Ribbons.

"You complain about that brother of yours but you're really not that different, always ordering everyone around."

"Ribbons is your brother too,"

Regene waltzed between the two to add,

"His Lordship Ribbons Almark is Our Most Excellent Brother May His Name Be Exalted Above All Others And May Galaxies Bow Down Before His Humble Grace That He Mercifully Bestows Upon Us, Poor Misguided Satellites,"

"Okay, enough of that."

Tieria spoke through a smile and had to fight the urge to laugh. Hiling had no such qualms and let out a series of giggles. Tieria was not used to Hiling's humor being actually appreciated by anyone other than himself so he was quite surprised. Regene sighed dramatically.

"Oh, Hiling. I do believe I must report your outrageous behavior to His Majesty. It pains me, it truly does, my sister. But my loyalty to Him is such!"

Such that Regene clasped his hands together. Hiling was wiping tears of laughter from her eyes.

"Regene, you're really something else."

And just like that the mood lightened up. Tieria appreciated Regene's intervention and ended up posing for Hiling.

"I hope this will do, Master Tieria."

Tieria smiled wanly at the bright purple work wear, bright purple work boots and bright purple hard helmet which was slightly too big.

"It's fine, thanks."

He dutifully slipped into the garment, taking his time adjusting the boots and the helmet. The matching outfit had been prepared for Mileina has he had requested. She was delighted by the gaudiness of it all. Tieria was somewhat bemused. He realized immediately that the color had been picked not just to honor him but to make sure he was spotted a mile away. The entire area had been informed of his visit so no one was likely to stumble on him, as poor Ian had done, the borderline fluorescent wear served as a warning, just in case. It saddened him somewhat as Tieria would be able to sidle up to a worker and try his hand at having a conversation. Any human would be aware of his identity long before he came within earshot.

Mileina's dashing down the gangway, a clatter of metal echoing her steps, snapped him to attention.

"No running here. This is an industrial site, little girl. You must be very careful and walk slowly. I'm sure Master Tieria agrees."

A worker had caught Mileina and now turned a smile to Tieria who smiled back. Here was someone who did not seem as awed by Tieria. Very rarely did humans smile at him, apart from Mileina, and even when they did there was a nervous behind it.

"Thank you, Linda. I should be keeping a closer eye on her."

The woman blinked in very obvious dismay. Tieria added rapidly, "I memorized everyone's info so I already knew your name. Sorry if I scared you."

Linda dropped her eyes. Tieria's heart sank. He was scrambling for what to say when Linda grabbed Mileina's hand and turned to her.

"Leave that up to me, Master Tieria. I'd be glad to watch over her."

Tieria sighed in relief. Linda would not look him in the eye but he was already used to that, as much as it pained him.

"Thanks. Mileina, make sure you listen and don't got wandering off on your own."

Tieria was given a tour of the premises. This time Ian was prepared and proved a very able guide. Since his main task was to expound on the facility's inner workings, he was more relaxed than usual as he did not have to direct his attention directly at Tieria. Just like Linda interacted with him via Mileina, so did Ian interact through the information he had to impart.

Tieria was quite impressed. The gangplank covered the entire sector, allowing for a panoramic survey of massive industrial units, smooth vents worked overhead and circuit grids cleverly worked into the metal sheeting. He stopped to admire two gigantic vats, one of them filled with a light liquid being slowly revolved by a radiating brace fixed at the center.

"That tank is about to be cleaned so it is currently not working."

"Can I help with that?"

Ian blinked. He had been studiously avoiding establishing eye contact but he now turned a wavering gaze in Tieria's direction.

"Help…?"

"Help cleaning it."

Tieria did not wait for confirmation because he expected Ian would come up with some excuse. Ian remembered Tieria's interest in these contraptions and would indeed had stopped him, were not Tieria so much faster and agile. Tieria was already on the platform before Ian could react.

"Master Tieria, we have workers for this kind of menial task,"

"But no system for self-cleaning? No robots?"

Ian shook his head.

"His Most High Lordship does not approve of robots."

Tieria tried not to chuckle.

"Ah, well. Get me gear needed, this sounds like fun."

Ian hovered about uncertainly but he ended up obeying. Tieria knew he was terrified lest anything should happen but when push came to shove, Ian responded to a direct order. So Tieria found himself in a vest attached to a rope, very much like old window cleaners back when humans had skyscrapers. He perched at the edge of the vat, Ian repeating more security regulations. Ian's fretfulness was such that it was beginning to get to Tieria. "Ian, do not worry, please. Innovators are surprisingly tough. We may look frail and vulnerable but it takes a lot of cause actual damage to our bodies. I'm not about to have a gruesome accident."

Tieria gave him his most reassuring smile. The deep irony never failed to stun him, now that he was deemed to be a god, humans treated him like a precious piece of rare and all too fragile glass, while they thought he was one of them, no-one thought him that delicate. Or at least not for long.

Tieria waved at Mileina who, fortunately, did not seem worried but very curious.

He took some time to acquaint himself with the restrains. The sweeper he had been handled was quite oversize but nothing he could not handle once he became used to the weight. Tieria climbed down until he reached the midway point on the transparent wall. Gasps from above as he twirled so as to stand on the curved surface, perfectly perpendicular to it. Tieria tested the soles of his very purple boots for purchase. Then he brought the sweeper down, lowered his body into one compact crouch and in a sudden dash slid along the surface, around the entire circular perimeter. With a slight flourish he came to a stop in the same exact spot where he had started from. The gasps had given way to an expectant silence that now erupted into hollers, cheers and clapping.

Tieria looked up to find a small crowd of workers, all insanely happy. It was his turn to blink in surprise. Already Ian was having him hoisted up.

"That was- how did you manage to go that fast- Master Tieria,"

Tieria smiled. For a split second Ian had forgotten about God-Tieria.

"It's a matter of balance and calculating the ratio of energy required."

"Amazing! Innovators really are something else!"

Tieria would have liked to go back to cleaning, all he had done was have some fun but precious little had been actually accomplished. But to no avail. Mileina was chatting excitedly, Ian had unhooked the harness and was ushering Tieria, along with a group of workers, to a brand new rest room that had been arranged for him.

"It's very...purple."

Ian nodded, very pleased with himself.

"My guys worked very hard at it. I hope it will not be too disappointing, Master Tieria."

Tieria hardly knew what to call it other than very purple. The walls and inbuilt furniture were all intensely purple. He appreciated the thought but it was a bit too much.

"It's wonderful, thank you."

Once the initial shock wore off, Tieria saw that it might be very wonderful indeed. He had brought the Haro along in the crate, hoping none of the Innovators would notice or think of looking for it here. Tieria now asked for a moment of privacy and locked himself in this room that Ian had planned and built just for him. For a while he simply stayed in the middle of the small compartment, overwhelmed by emotion. Gratitude welled up in him. In the whole compound, this monstrously structure, this might be the only place where he truly belonged, horrible color notwithstanding. His hands almost trembled as he plugged in the Haro. Ian had not lied, there was no Veda connection here. Ribbons or Regene might still trace it but there was a chance they would not. Tieria would have to take it.

The Haro took a while to come to life. Tieria did not know what to expect. Haro units had no serial numbers so he had no way of identifying this particular one. He was only aware that he had been holding his breath when he found himself grasping for air as the eyes blinked alight. Until then Tieria half-expected the Haro to be dead. Now that he knew it was otherwise, he found himself hesitating. Whatever he found here might undo much of the progress he thought he had accomplished thus far. But Tieria had spent too long running away from the past.

"Haro, it's me, Tieria Erde."

The Haro bounced up and down in recognition. Without any command, its visual library kicked in, selecting and projecting a file. All of a sudden, Neil Dylandy was smiling at Tieria. The image was crystal clear and matched Tieria's all too well defined memory.

"Hi there, Tieria! I'm leaving you this message in case something happens to me. You know how it is, there is plenty of danger to go around and all that. I just wanted to let you know that you should relax and just be yourself. Doesn't matter if you're like the average human, so what? You're still you, our companion. Bet you'll find it cheesy but believe in yourself! Because we all do."

The image before him blurred in a film of tears. He turned off the Haro and closed his eyes firmly. It did not matter. His memory, once prodded, ran wild and overrode his perception. Tieria was in the tropical island hideout, strong sun stinging his skin, he was aboard the Ptolomeios while Neil goofed around, he was sampling Setsuna's milk and fighting gag reflex.

Time broke apart and collapsed.