/Dai Stiho,/ X replied -- not quite absentmindedly, but in the way of someone who had just realised they'd forgotten to be polite in their excitement. "That's alright, and very self-aware of you. Let's move on, so you don't need to feel sorry for him anymore."

And X led the way back out onto the street, stepping carefully backwards so he could keep talking to Nita.

"I have a friend who sees glimpses of the future," he said. "Or at least, that's what I think she does. She's never made it clear. I think sometimes she can't make sense of them, and just pretends she knows everything."