"What exactly does it mean that they are not people? Like, everyone is sort of weird, but I am not sure how to describe it."

"They don't act like there's anyone in there. They don't really remember things, or make any logical inferences, or try to figure out where the conversations are going. You can just say random stuff and they'll react to it as if it's normal."

"And they kind of act like... the way they think about everyone else is just a number. If they really like you, you can punch them in the nose and they'll be slightly mad at the time but then act like nothing happened, because you're still in the positives."

"That is... huh, do you have any idea why?"

Felix is getting more and more distressed hearing this.

"That's just... how people are. Have always been, as far as we can tell."

Felix's call connects.

"Hello?" says the familiar voice on the other side of the line.

"Hello! Mom, are you alright?" Felix asks, relieved. She is real.

"I'm wonderful! How are you?" his mom asks casually.

"I am... something weird happened and our memories are sharper..."

"Don't forget to mention me."

"And I cloned myself."

"Oh dear! That sounds worrying. How are you feeling about that?"

"I am... fine? I just... I am checking on you. See if your mind is normal?"

Felix is out of his depth here.

"I feel fine, thank you, dear. No illness to speak of."

"Yes... but, do... I love you, mom."

"I love you too, dear. Send your brothers my love."

"Okay... but. How... are you feeling about Thunder?"

"I haven't seen him in a while, the three of you should visit!"

"You... you never met Thunder."

"Well, then I would love to meet him. Why don't you bring him over for dinner sometime?"

"You... please, take a moment to think."

"...yes, dear? About what?"

"About..." Felix is not sure how to complete that. "Anything? Your emotions?" Felix is getting teary-eyed.

"I'm feeling just fine, dear. Are you alright? You sound sad."

"End the call, I think that is enough."

"I love you, bye."

"Bye, dear! Don't forget to visit!"

Felix disconnects.

The clones' faces have grown almost just as tense and upset as Felix's over the conversation.

"So before you all get sadder it is possible to turn NPCs into people," says Caleb, trying to cheer them up.

He stands up and wedges himself where Fenris is sitting to snuggle up.

"How?"

"The way that seems to reliably work is convincing them to live with you," says the clone, patting Cor's shoulder.

"These two," explains Caleb, "invited me to live with them in their tiny, ugly, dingy apartment—"

"Hey!"

"—and the moment I accepted I woke up and immediately got them to move in with me because for shame."

Blink. "Is that really all it takes?"

"Reality is fucked. Like, it is obvious, but I want to openly acknowledge it."

"Is there a risk of going back to that state?"

"We haven't heard of it but it would explain some things if it were possible."

"If you move in with your parents it also works," adds Cor. "When Caleb was technically living with us his sister was still an NPC, but as soon as we came here she also woke up."

"To my eternal chagrin."

    "I heard that!" calls a voice from upstairs.

"Love you!" calls Caleb back.

"Okay. I think we can do that rather easily."