[It's a line of thought he's touched on but chosen not to explore, as he certainly doesn't need anymore insecurities at the moment. His fingers flex and he turns his glare on Newton, despising every word out of the man's mouth until his tone changes.

Then he's silent, because 'real' seems awfully subjective in this world. There was proof of a strange multiverse where they met people who had only previously been characters, but now walked, lived, breathed, felt, and who was to say they weren't the same?

And that is.. a very disconcerting line of thought to follow. The anger drains from him]

For a given definition of the word, I suppose. Newton, I.. I believe I understand some of what you were trying to say about Cherno Alpha. It could be the same exact machine, but with any other pilots, the entire perception changes.