IC Contact (DDD)

[fortheworld]

You have reached Oriko Mikuni; I will reply as soon as I am able.

Comments

[fortheworld]

[Stop.

She blinks. No, this isn't like her father at all. It's an overreaction. She calms down, wishing they weren't doing this in person; mercy knew what Kirika was making of all of this-]

A-Are you sure?

[just an ordinary girl who'd made a mistake. Just like all of them. Kirika was a Puella Magi. She should have known.]

[justforyou]

[She knew it was a bad idea to bring it up. Should have just kept it a secret until it was too late. She didn't want Oriko to hate her.

All she wanted to was to have someone close to her, a special person, and she was stabbing her in the back all the time.]

All I wanted was to be...someone that could be cared about. My devotion was real but-- [She bows suddenly.]

If you hate me or if you want me to go, I deserve that.

[fortheworld]

-No!

[It's Kirika. But she can't think that way now. How much is real, how much is a wish? Is Kirika being Kirika expending her soul gem? Who's the real Kirika? Which one does she trust? If she is created by the Incubators how much control do they have? They've never tampered with wishes before... that she knows of...]

Stay.

[Mole or not. Too late now anyway. Maybe use in reverse; feed information to the Incubators? She'll have to plan on her own for a while. But it's Kirika. She needs her. For the plan.

For the world.]

[justforyou]

[She doesn't straighten her back. She doesn't look up to Oriko's eyes. Why would Oriko want her to stay around? A liar, someone who betrays you... that's the worst sort of person, isn't it? Why bother?]

If Oriko wants me to stay, I'll stay.

[But it's still Oriko.]

[fortheworld]

I do.

[she sighs]

This doesn't change anything.

[it does]

[justforyou]

I betrayed you.

[Kirika doesn't believe Oriko one bit]

[fortheworld]

No. I hadn't really met you before. You have only ever been you.

[the knowledge that she, just by doing a good deed - an ordinary deed - is reason for someone to damn themselves and become a Puella Magi... the idea of it makes her sick. That's not a debt she can repay or a responsibility she can bear.

She'd always assumed Kirika had her own reasons - obviously she had to have a wish... she'd assumed...

...But she can't afford to do that any more.]

[justforyou]

[Then why are you treating me so distantly? I'm just a stranger!

She bites down on her words. She doesn't know what Oriko's thinking and, really, she never really has. She's been a logical thinker while Kirika is an emotional one.]

Maybe.

[...]

But don't tell me things haven't changed, you're not someone who would take something like this lightly.

[fortheworld]

...


How would you feel, knowing someone had become a Puella Magi because of you, given all it entails?

[justforyou]

...huh?

[Okay, that's not the part she's been focusing on. Kirika pauses, rubbing her neck.]

It's not like any of us knew what it meant to become a Magi.

[fortheworld]

Knowing or not knowing, the fact remains.

[justforyou]

No one would waste their wish on me.

[fortheworld]

I believed the same, Kirika... whether they do or they don't is not up to you.

[justforyou]

Why aren't you mad at me?

[If Oriko would just yell at her... it'd feel better than this somewhat calm conversation.]

[fortheworld]

It was your decision, and your right to make it.

[justforyou]

I really hurt you! And even if you say nothing's changed it's obvious that things have!

[fortheworld]

Nothing should change. I admit, I am shaken, but it will pass.

[justforyou]

You're treating me differently.

[fortheworld]

I need to get my thoughts in order.

[she stands]

It will pass.

[justforyou]

If Oriko says so...

[Kirika takes a step backwards. ...she also doesn't sound very convinced.]

[fortheworld]

I do say so.

For now, we continue as normal. It doesn't change anything.

[they still have a world to save]

[justforyou]

How could things not change?

[fortheworld]

...The world still needs saving Kirika. That's what our partnership is based on, is it not?

[justforyou]

Is that the only reason why you want me to stay?

[I CHANGED MY PERSONALITY BECAUSE I WANTED TO BE BY YOUR SIDE NOT TO SAVE THE WORLD...]

[fortheworld]

Of course not, but it should still be our main priority. This, for now, can be a secondary concern. If Kaname contracts tomorrow it will hardly mean very much.