Quency/Story

Spoilers!*"Your greatest villain Drake shall warn you, SPOILERS AHEAD!"*The following article or section contain **spoilers!** Viewer discretion is advised.

Overview**Story**VoicelinesGallery

## Information

### Affiliation

Real Kindness
Rehabilitation Center

## Behind the Scenes

###

Kim Yeong-eun

###

Tatiana Varria

###

Aya Uchida

## Profile

A member of Real Kindness, a "squad" formed of criminal Nikkes locked in the Rehabilitation Center. An escape artist, smuggler, and petty thief who's not "detained" in the Rehabilitation Center so much as she simply chooses to remain in its confines. Quency is the friendliest of Real Kindness' colorful individuals, but that smile of hers belies some serious sticky fingers.

### Nikke Backstory

A master escape artist who can break out of any prison where she is being kept captive. A highly amiable individual who excels in wheeling and dealing. She is always the life of the party at the Rehabilitation Center.

## Story

### Liberation / Character Story

#### Episode 1 - Escape Artist

*Rehabilitation Day 1*

Mana explains to the protagonist Quency's rap sheet and how she ended up here. Despite her actual crimes only amounting to petty theft, her sentence just kept escalating because no matter what facility they tossed her in, she kept trying, and even succeeding, in breaking free. This had earned her a reputation amongst criminals and authorities as *the* Escape Artist. Despite Quency's room being sealed tight and kept under 24-hour surveillance, she always keeps sneaking out, her truancy regarding counseling sessions leading most of her would-be rehabilitators to give up. Mana comments that despite the lesser crimes and pleasant demeanor, that doesn't change the fact that Quency is still a major risk on par with Guilty and Sin. The protagonist declares his determination to help Quency as Mana wishes him good luck and opens the door.

Inside Quency's room, the protagonist finds neither the Nikke nor any trace of her presence. He briefly fears that she escaped again before a voice chirps from right behind him. Startled, he turns to see none other than Quency, the person he was supposed to meet. She's equally startled by his startling, as it turns out she was (supposedly) behind him the whole time without making a single noise.

The two introduce each other, the escape artist being surprisingly friendly at first blush, though she finds it exasperating how counselors keep pestering her, playing coy and claiming she's innocent. She's seemingly hurt by the protagonist mentioning her escape attempts, citing her demeanor, the room being secured and devoid of any possible tools, and her current state (her hands are cuffed together) as reasons why she's not the type to try and break free of prison. She also fires back that if she was such a good escapist as he asserts, she wouldn't be wiling her days in a cell.

Quency laments how prejudiced the protagonist is to her from the start of this conversation, then admits to the protagonist that she *is* jailed here for serious crimes and asks him to guess. She denies any allegations of murder or assault, but *does* answer that she's in for theft. A skill she demonstrates by showing off the protagonist's wallet, which she silently plucked from his pockets the moment he stepped in. Having demonstrated she is indeed a criminal, Quency redirects the conversation asking for updates on the Ark.

Turns out she's been in the center for so long she can't even remember the last time she stepped into the Ark. She concedes that she could get out if she passed the rehabilitation checks, but even if she did, that doesn't mean she *not* going to commit more crimes. The protagonist points out her lack of attendance in counseling sessions, a statement that riles up Quency. She claims she attended every session, but the counselors never showed. This seeming lack of trust on the protagonist's part upsets her something fierce, leaving him no recourse but to apologize. It takes Quency by surprise since she was half-joking before, but she forgives him.

Extracting a commitment to attend every session together, Quency invites the protagonist to get a light croquette once she's rehabilitated. The conversation turns to places to get croquettes and what kinds, but the protagonist catches something off in Quency's words. If she really was cooped up in here like she claims, how would she know so much about the Ark and croquettes? Quency chides him for being overly suspicious again, explaining that even as isolated as the center is, news and food shipments from the Ark still trickle in.

Quency checks the time and notices the session is over. She bids the protagonist goodbye, having enjoyed the conversation even if the protagonist's unfounded(?) suspicions rankle her. The protagonist leaves the room, thinking rehabilitating Quency might be easier than he thought it'd be...

#### Episode 2 - Liar

The commander visits Mana in the hopes of fulfilling Quency's request only for her to deny both since they neither allow outside food nor news into the Rehabilitation Center. This is so the inmates have less of a desire to escape back into the Ark prior to their rehabilitation. They control the flow of information and are diligent enough to not let outside info in. She figures Quency put him up to this, something he denies, but is willing to answer his questions in the future.

Upon entering the interrogation room again, he tries to tell her he knows everything she told him was a lie, but she is nowhere to be found. After looking around, it becomes clear Quency is not in the room. Deducing she escaped somehow, he figures the best thing he can do now is to ~~alert Mana of her escape~~ figure out how to follow her.

After a while of searching, the commander has no idea as to how she did it and ponders if she was ever here at all. He considers informing Mana about her escape but soon discovers a large tunnel behind a pair of blinds wide enough for a person to fit through. Sensing this was how Quency exited the room, he crawls in himself to hopefully find her on the other side.

On the light side of the tunnel, he finds Quency in the midst of doing business with someone. He gave her plenty of bottlecaps as compensation for when the two were incarcerated together. Though she feels all she did was help him adjust, thanks to all of the caps she has smuggled in, a trade economy has formed in the center. Needless to say, she was shocked to learn the protagonist followed her and sensing something was going to happen, the collaborator took his leave. The two wanted answers from each other and she started by sharing info on who she was just talking with. After he was released, he became the owner of a big company in the Ark and helped her out from time to time. She was surprised he was able to follow her and after he asks her for her secrets, she refuses to share them unless they make a deal. He wants her to return to the center, but she still has business to do outside. He wants to accompany her so she can remain safe so the two agree to go together so long as the protagonist doesn't interfere with her business. After warning him his shoelaces were untied, he falls for her deception and she proceeds to book it away from him. After apologizing for tricking him and promising to visit him during her next consultation, she makes herself scarce.

Just as he finally found Quency, he lost her yet again.

#### Episode 3 - Swallow it if sweet and spit it out if bitter

Wanting something to do, Quency questions if she wants to head out. She soon discovers the protagonist was aware of her plans and she was surprised to see him since she didn't have a consultation today. He stopped by to make up for her last absence and intends to stop her next escape. Though she feels he is too much of a stickler, she was curious as to why he didn't tell Mana about what happened or reveal her escape tunnel. He believes that Quency can become a productive member of society and he wants to look after her. She can understand his reasoning. He admits he wants to know what she does while unconfined to meet his ends. While she was surprised to meet a counselor so invested in her, she agrees to let him accompany her so he can get to know her better, despite feeling he seems to know a lot about her already. Since his schedule is free, the two made their way back through the tunnel.

It was an intricate masterwork of divergent pathways filled with booby traps. After finally finding an opening, the two end up in a dilapidated warehouse where several prisoners have gathered. Turns out, Quency was very popular among this crowd and the commander learns this hideout is a safe zone where contraband can be traded and people are free to speak. She admitted the things she told him earlier about bringing stuff into the center was a lie. The inmates have created an economy built on bottle caps which can be bought and sold for other items or as compensation. The other prisoners were unfamiliar with her escort but were reasonably skeptical that she brought a counselor with her. Quency assures them that he was trustworthy and if their operations are unraveled, he will take the fall for them. After the protagonist greets the prisoners, Quency gives everyone what they asked for her to smuggle in for them. These things include an adult magazine, multiple flavors of Splendamin, and other items, all of which she exchanged for bottle caps.

From mingling with their leader and watching Quency interact with her friends, he realized the inmates built a miniature society for themselves which allows them to live as close to a normal life as they can. They also reveal it was Quency who had the idea to trade things for bottle caps and because of all she has done for them, none of the prisoners have a reason nor the influence to go against her. The last item she had on her was alcohol for a drunkard who was already sloshed. He felt she overcharged him for it even though she gave him a discount and his rude responses caused her to void their deal. He then goes into a rant about Quency and after the commander tries to calm him down, the other inmates threaten to kick the inebriated prisoner out for insulting her. After mentioning they all feel similar, the sober members force him away seemingly out of fear of what Quencey could do to them. Now exhausted from that drama, the other prisoners allow her to rest.

After the two returned to the interrogation room, it is clear she was upset at what the drunk inmate said about her only to reveal she was just acting and her frustration earlier was a means to no longer have to deal with that person. The protagonist wonders if anything he said affected her but she had no issues with what he said because he was telling the truth. With her only skill being an escape artist, she feels she will never reintegrate into the Ark. This confuses him since she mentioned wanting to be rehabilitated before, but she said that to placate him and because of her talent, she can go to and from the Ark as she pleases. Despite that, the commander refuses to give up on her. She asks if he will look after her if she does manage to be rehabilitated and after an initial pause, he assures her he would and help her in any way she needs. While she can see that he is confident, something he doesn't deny, he is determined to help Quency. This was the first time anyone has had any faith in her, but she tells him to do as he pleases, but hints she might change her mind because of his determination.

#### Episode 4 - Going Downtown

Quency wants to attend a sale today and the protagonist wants to join her. He somehow manages to surprise her again, but she warns him he would get in trouble if Mana knew the two were sneaking out together, something he would be willing to deal with if he had to. While she's certain the risk of getting caught would put him in jeopardy, she allows him to tag along if he wishes. After she pushes over a clock on the wall, he discovers she made another tunnel behind it. He is still confused as to how she can do this, but since she's ready to go, the two press onward.

As the two make their way further, Quency is surprised he was able to keep up with her for so long. Despite complaining the tunnel she made was too narrow, she mentions comfortability is not something one considers when planning an escape, an argument he can understand. After sharing he was the first counselor to step foot in one of her escape routes, he is immediately swarmed by rats. While she has no idea why so many are here, since she knows he won't step on any to follow her, she sees this as an opportunity and takes her leave.

After somehow escaping the rats, the protagonist met with Quency again the following day. She was impressed at his tenacity and was curious if he could keep up with her this time, something he felt confident he could do. After sharing she dug another tunnel inside of a cabinet, he was even more baffled as to how she pulled that off, but the two left not long after. While exploring the caverns she created, Quency shared that she drilled a small hole behind the cabinet and kept digging with a spoon from there whenever she had free time. He believed what she's been doing so far should be physically impossible, but since the walls were dilapidated, she is able to break through them. She also knew how to avoid the security cameras so she could better plan her excavations. Impressed by her cunning and talent, she questions what she can do for the Ark given what she can offer. While he doesn't know what she can do yet, he believes they can find some use she can fulfill. After reminding him that she still doesn't want to be rehabilitated, the lights in the tunnel go out making it pitch black. Knowing her creations inside and out, Quency can move through them even while essentially blind. After asking her to help him navigate his way out, she ditches him again.

The following day, the commander goes into the interrogation room expecting to go spelunking with Quency through another of her complex tunnels only to realize she dug another hole in the ceiling and left before he arrived. After making his way through this new labyrinth, he was having trouble making his way in the dark, let alone finding Quency. After his back started to ache from how long he has been crouching, the lights went out again. After hearing some crumbling noises, he learns there was a cave in and the route he took was now closed off. After weighing his options, he attempts to dig his way out to no avail and then figures waiting for someone to come to his rescue is his best choice at this moment.

Having been stuck in dark isolation for a few hours now, the protagonist has grown hungry, thirsty, and exhausted. His consciousness begins to fade, but he hears a familiar voice. Quency has come to find him and using the last ounce of his strength to get her attention, she manages to dig her way to him only for her to slap him. She had so many questions for him and continued to slap him to try to keep him awake, but it was all for not.

The next time he regains consciousness, he learns he was taken to the hospital and was being monitored by Mana. She informs him that he was trapped for nearly 24 hours, but since they managed to find him, the only health problem he has is dehydration. He asks where Quency was and she answers that she has been sent to solitary confinement for endangering the life of a counselor. The walls there are too thick for her to dig through so she can no longer escape and she has been deemed unfit for rehabilitation. Because of that, the commander will be relieved of his counseling duties effective immediately. Despite not agreeing with her assessment, he wants to meet with her before he goes, a request she denies since she was the reason he was in danger. He takes full responsibility for following her and considers her in his care. After some convincing, Mana agrees to let him see Quency one final time and will alert him when he is allowed to do so.

#### Episode 5 - The Meaning of Rehabilitation

The protagonist meets with Quency one last time. The two were surprised to see each other given that the center increased its security. After sharing that he has gotten better after she saved him, she demanded to know why he recklessly went into one of her tunnels without her to guide him. He apologizes for that and while she was glad he was feeling well, she still thinks what he did was too dangerous. After reminding him that she is no longer eligible for rehabilitation and he is no longer her counselor, he admits to wanting to see her. Though she takes his response to mean he will be unable to visit her after he leaves, he is willing to try again with her. Despite her insistence on not wanting to go through that again, he promises to speak with the higher-ups to resume their arrangement if she wants to. Though the methods he plans to use in order to make this happen are suboptimal (either groveling on his knees and begging or writing a strongly worded letter), she questions why he still wants her to be rehabilitated even though she can come and go as she pleases.

He wants Quency to be free without having to sneak out and wants the two of them to eat croquettes together. She can do this almost whenever she wants anyways and while he would figure she would hate being incarcerated, she actually likes it here. She considers the center a home to her and feels she serves no purpose in the Ark. Even if he does help her, she will have to face things alone eventually. She confesses to hate being lonely more than anything and would rather remain locked up so she can avoid that fate. She is loved by the other inmates and if he wishes to visit her again, she is willing to postpone her escape plans so they can chat some more in exchange for some bottlecaps. While the commander takes this to mean he has become one of Quency's contacts which she admits to, she also shares she appreciates his concern. Mana then informs him their time is up. After he apologizes once more for failing her, she assures there is no place she would rather be right now and she's happy being here. The two proceed to wish each other well.

Once outside the interrogation room, Mana was curious how their conversation went. While he still worries about Quency, she assures him he did the best he could and suggests him to go home and rest.

After he returns back to the Outpost, the protagonist's thoughts are haunted by his inability to help Quency and that she would still have a chance if he didn't get stuck in the tunnel. He decides to sit down by his desk to hopefully relax only to find a bottle cap with a hand-scribbled note. It reads...

*Not a bad place you've got here, Counselor. I'll have to stop by again. Solitary confinement is such a bore. I'll take you up on that croquette sometime.*

At that moment, the commander realized that rehabilitation was not something Quency needed.

## References

Notes
1. ↑ Credited as "Tatania Barrie."

References