Rendere O Rompere

“It’s okay.” The teen responds to the apology with a languid shrug of her shoulders, no real care about whose fault it actually was. It wasn’t like she was angry about it mishap. She would readily take some of the blame of not all of it because she allowed herself not to be seen, meaning that such a thing could have been avoided. Of course, she doesn’t say anything about, preferring to keep such a thing hidden for as long as possible. 

"Kanna, Niko. I just go by Niko though. Nice to meet you. Well...bump into you. Regardless." She shrugged as well. She must have looked like she was as concerned as Kido looked to be, which was to say not really at all. 

This is not where Kido belongs, and she realizes it as soon as black colored eyes open. She cares little about what is said on the screen, mind drifting to more concerning matter, annoyance towards herself steadily growing for her negligence. She should have been able to keep the together, but of course she couldn’t.

A sigh slips past her lips as she slides off from where she is sitting, and leaves the blinding white room all together. She is quite sure that the man on screen is still speaking to her, but there isn’t any time for her to sit and listen. Chances are high that she can find someone who knows what’s going on, and can provide more information given. There is no loss in her actions. 

It takes her a short few seconds to find herself, suddenly bombarded with city noise. She contemplates pulling out her headphones, and drowning the world out like always, but she doesn’t. She allows the object to stay in her pocket for a longer extent of time, figuring that it might be beneficial in the future for her use and not waste the battery so soon. She’d have to purchase a new charger of course, but she doubts she is in possession of enough money to do so. 

There are too many people as she walks. Quickly, does the female deduce that this city probably never sleeps, or maybe that depends on the location. She remembers quickly glancing at what might have been a map, but didn’t bother to look it over thoroughly. Something she regrets soon after the action is already done. 

There is another sigh, and teen pauses in her steps, back pressed against a brick building. There is no one paying attention to her, from what she could see which is a good. Head leaning back against the wall, and eyes staring impassively at the night sky, Kido feels the familiar heat slowly filling up her eyes. It’s an annoying feeling, but something she has gotten used to over time. The female knows she can’t be seen, not with her eye concealment working, and pushes off the wall to begin walking again.

She makes sure to stay away from the people as she walks, not wanting to break the illusion. There are always a few stragglers, and spells must always be broken in the end. Of course, so is hers when she feels the impact of a person, and mentally curses her luck. 

Bright red optics cool down to a calmer black, and slit pupils – ones befitting a snake – reshape to their original form as the spell is broken. She knows she can be seen, knows that it appears like she suddenly came out of nowhere. There is a standstill between her and the person, neither one seeming to be able to form the words to speak for whatever reason.

Speaking of avoiding interaction, however...she'd been staring at her given phone, attempting to learn every single little function that it was capable of, her feet carrying her down the street. She didn't even notice when she ran into someone. Then again, she could have sworn even in her distracted state, that there was no one in front of her. But low and behold, there was someone in front of her. They looked away, and apologized.

"As I said, though, her plan failed. You are right, the three survivors of the ‘Hijiri Massacre’ are still well even now, and for Kazumi even better than that! In order to defeat the army that your replica had created, she formed a contract with me, certainly she will be a most powerful witch once all is said and done. It must be thanks to all of that heart and effort you had all put in when creating her. I should thank you!"

After that, he found himself hanging in the air, held by one of his ears. This was a familiar scene, and if her grip were any tighter she could very well rip off his limb without even trying. Though, not like that mattered an Incubator.

"..." She dropped Kyubey back onto the ground carelessly, and stood up. "I suppose you have a point. Taking out any displeasure on you would be a pointless waste anyway." It wouldn't give her any kind of satisfaction. A lot of things didn't. 

How did she feel over everything she'd been told? She felt disappointed. Guilty. Angry, even. As much as she could understand Hijiri's feelings on the matter, or at least understand why she was so upset, what Niko didn't wish to grasp was why she would resort to leading her friends to their deaths. On top of that, soiling Niko's own image and name in the process. How many of them truly believe that Niko Kanna betrayed them, and killed them?

Yet, Hijiri had a sense of free will. The incubator was just doing as he was born to do. That didn't make him any less partly responsible, in her head, she had to admit. But she wouldn't let that show. She couldn't well hide the slightly ill look on her face from the knowledge she was attaining. 

"Hijiri...what did you do..." She said under her breath. She...played at the lives of Niko's friends. Fooled everyone. Not only that, did it all under the cover of 'Niko Kanna.' "By...your use of names, I'm to assume Kazumi, Kaoru, and Umika had survived." She said, only further observing in a quiet tone. It was a lot of information to take in, and none of it left the usually collected girl in too great a shape. "You're telling me Hijiri acted out of a desire for some kind of revenge on me? For what I did to bring her into existence? She stooped that low because of resentment?" Or was there something else? There likely was, given Hijiri was Niko's double. She had no doubt there was another goal.

"Hm, now that I look back on it, she was the only one that turned into a witch by her own accord, if we do not take into consideration your own, as well as not counting noninterference as murder. Pleiades Saints member Saki Asami was forcibly transformed into a witch by a fellow Saint through use of an Evil Nut, you remember those right? And once Saki was lost, Mirai Wakaba was not too far behind, her life pretty much dependent on her’s. So let’s consider both of those murders by another party, who you are already very familiar with."

The Saints had basically fallen apart, listening to Kyubey's observations. Satomi had tried to do the current Kazumi in, in the process becoming a witch and dying herself. An evil nut caused Saki Asami's death, and soon after Mirai's, like an expected chain reaction.

That wasn't what weighed on her the heaviest. If anything struck her the most vivid, it was hearing the name of the one responsible for most of the things that had apparently occurred within the Saints.

Kanna. Hijiri.

Known only by few as Niko's original name. It was also the name she had passed on to another. Her 'double.' Her wish for another her, that didn't have to bear the weight of her own past, that could live among her family happily and live a normal and carefree life.

"Had you noticed? Back when you turned into a witch, there was something peculiar about it, namely your Soul Gem. Normally the glimmer darkens and the gem itself loses it’s shine once one falls into such a state, but your gem was clear as crystal, just as it was when you formed a contract with me so long ago."

He took a pause to let her attempt to figure out the rest on her own, but interrupted right before the last piece of the puzzle could wedge itself in, setting the pace himself.

It was clear as the sky.

Her expression was beginning to grow more concerned. The normally unexpressive girl was too wrapped in her thoughts. She was no idiot, once they were given to her, she could piece together a problem quickly. As well as its causes and solutions. What Kyubey did, was hand her the pieces she still needed. 

"As for me being here, I’d have to guess that it would be for the same reason you and everyone else are here, A social experiment can hardly be called one without any socializing, and those in charge seem to be indiscriminate as to who they abduct."

"It was a useful 'stunt,' you have to admit." Niko said tonelessly, shaking her head. Though, the girl had no idea about the events that had transpired after her own death. She only knew everything up until then. She barely knew why she witched herself, given she never realized the truth.

"I suppose I ought to be relieved then that they thought to take away your contracting ability. After all, there's no need for you to go gathering blind girls in this city." That and no telling what someone here would wish for in this kind of predicament. That was a concern all by itself. "You don't need to worry about a repeat of my last action, though. There doesn't seem to be much of a need for it here."

Kneeling down, her blue eyes examined the incubator carefully, before she spoke up. She wanted to choose her question carefully, but she felt need to ask anyway. She had a feeling though the question wouldn't come as a thing she wanted to hear.

”-Oii! James! What was that for?” Oliver whined as he rubbed his nose. He didn’t feel it, but it was instinct for him to whine after being struck. Even if it was gentle. James ignored the child’s whine, knowing well that it was just a reaction. Instead he turned his attention to lady behind himself. Hovering several inches from Oliver’s face.

"I wouldn't worry about me. I'm just not the scolding type." Niko said with an absentminded shrug. She certainly wasn't the type to let a kid get the better hand on her. But at the same time, she didn't have the energy to want to tell one off, either. "But it's all right. Apology accepted." Maybe she should have found it a lot stranger that a bird was talking to her in the first place.

"These humans in charge seem to hold great power, to bring beings of different worlds here and to make them weaker than they originally were, all while making them dependent on their very captors." he waited a moment to closely observe the girl. "They also appear to have the ability to bring back the dead, it seems."

"Of course I remember you. You're a little bit hard to forget after all." She remembered everything she'd done with the spare body she had before, as well. "Your kind have impressive memory, Kyubey. Still, I'd wonder what those scientists here have to gain from bringing you here."

The young blonde awoke with a gentle yawn. His lovely golden eye opening up to what he thought at first was a medical facility, though that might of been from the smell that seemed to overcome him. There was no operating table, tools, monitors or anything really like that. Where was he? Still feeling rather dizzy, Oliver was just about to close his eye when he was quickly snapped into place by a little bird on his head. It was none other than James, his feathered companion. Tapping Oliver’s scalp with just a hint of gentleness, but it was easily seen that he was spooked. It was quite obvious what spooked him. A simple tv screen just inches away that might of had something important to say, but the little android slept through it. Thankfully, James had pulled his full attention to it. If it was just a simple social experiment, why did the petite bird feel so uneasy. It might of been the whole torment them till your hearts content, but what would he know? He’s a bird. Leaving the place that is Oliver’s noggin, the petite bird glided its way to in front of the blonde. Hovering in front of him as he began peeping his wisdom.

「Oliver, I want you to listen to me.  We are in a city much different from what you’re use to. So pay attenti….. 」

But it was far too late. Oliver’s face had already lit up with excitement. A new place? Somewhere he hasn’t been? He knew what must be done. Inhaling as much air as his small lungs could contain, he released a loud yell. Something that echoed throughout the hearts (and ears) of whomever may be nearby. 

”-Adventure~!”And with that, Oliver dashed out the door. His bare feet making a small pit pat pit pat noise as he did so. That lovely pale face of his turning slightly pink from the thought of this excitement. What untold treasures would he find? Maybe he would meet a whale or something. Who knows! The possibilities were endless! This was short lived as the small bird had easily caught up with him. Pecking the child’s nose.

「Oliver! Could you stand still so that I may inform you of the situation?」James squawked, clearly irritated by the child’s short attention span. However Oliver simply waved towards the small bird.

Niko staggered a little bit, not expecting to be bumped into. Not only that, to be blamed for it. At least, that's what the boy's tone said to her. He seemed a little bit younger than she was, and had a bird with him. Was that where she'd heard the other voice from?

Interesting.

She looked at the stranger for a moment, then sighed quietly. "Sorry 'bout that." She could insist it wasn't her fault. But that was a rather pointless argument to have. She wasn't going to start some argument with a boy and his talking bird. The young technician shrugged, hands not leaving her pockets. Her eyes flickered to the bird again for a brief second, but then back to Oliver.

Strolling across the crowds was a very different experience for Kyubey, now being exposed to the rest of society and all. Entering this world had apparently rendered some of his powers inaccessible, such as invisibility, and as such strange looks were being received all over. The conversations of weather he was a cat or a dog or a fox were certainly not being kept secret.

Though, these citizens were surprisingly even more lackluster than normal humans, as if something was missing from their overall composure, not unlike static images on a moving screen. Background scenery. Were these beings created only to fill in the empty space of this city?

"Is it really that surprising?" A voice spoke up from behind, directed towards Kyubey. Hands in her pockets, eyes disinterested in what they were looking at, Niko Kanna stared at the familiar white 'fairy.' 

"Kyubey. While I heard there were other magical girls in the city, I didn't actually suspect that you were one of the test subjects too. Or at least...I assume that's why you're here." She shrugged. She wasn't particularly happy to see the incubator here. "Please do tell me that they had the brains to take away your ability to contract while you're here."