Heh, same here. I mean, New York as a state isn't really that big and the city only takes up so much of it, but it's still a completely different feel than here.

[Her saying he's not useless means a lot to him. Three simple words wick away the beginnings of that kind of depression before it can fully sink in. The expression that surfaces on his face is only a faint echo of the confidence he'd shown during the simulation, but it's something.]

You're right. We just have to narrow things down and pick a direction to focus on. It's too easy to just look at everything and get lost.

[His own smile falters once Li mentions such a key thing to her being absent. Imagining her caught up in...Creature mode without anyone else understanding is a worrying thing. Brow furrowing, he shakes his head.]

We'll figure something out. But if it comes down to it, I think people here will be at least a lot more open to understanding unique situations. I...do have to wonder though.

[He lapses into thought, pulling at his chin.]

...I'm not sure that your conditioning might be affected by the chips. That's...more of a mindset, right?