An Unexpected Guest (Rho!)

[Sky]

Ryder hummed silently as he walked through the town, books in hand and his usual attire present as he headed towards the courthouse. He had practically moved into the place, finding it the easiest to stay out of sight of the girls and also work on his cases. His books were studies done on serial killers, this was the first one he was tackling and he needed to know more about them if he was to be successful with his goal of putting an end to his reign of terror.

He pushed open the door silently, glad that he had somehow avoided all his fan girls on the trek to the building and entered, walking over to the desk he had set up a few days back and set the books down. He pulled out his pen and paper with notes on it of what he had read last night, learning that many experienced a traumatic event in their past.

Was this what happened tot he lightning carrier he was now trying to sniff out? Did they experience something terrible in their past so that's why they kill? Was it the only way they could vent? He tapped his pen to his chin thoughtfully, there had to be something he had missed.

Maybe he should have checked the papers from a few years ago, there could have been a case of a death he missed. He wasn't quite sure, but there had to be something he had missed. Or were all the pieces tot he puzzle just missing? Were there some that just weren't present all together?

Only time would tell, but he had a feeling time was running out for both the world and the next victim. By his personal calculations he gave the world itself five years at the most, for he could see things were getting worse year after year. The next victim maybe a few weeks, a month at the most from the pattern the killer had been following.

[[*DOC]]

For a place of law, the Court House proved to be an excellent place for a Damned to think. She had holed up in one of the large court rooms, sat behind the judge's desk with her knees drawn up to her chest, sullen and silent, trying to get her head around the events of the past two days.

For the first time since descending into the depths of a demonic persona, she had met a man who had given her a chance as a person, as opposed to running a mile or attacking her, seeing her only as a demon, a Damned. She had been so... happy, falling so deeply in love with this person, unlike any love she had experienced for humans and carriers alike in the past. This was one that she couldn't merely cast aside so easily, like them.

Her heart... ached. In the past, it had always been her cleaving hearts in two, and yet, this time it felt like she was the one to have her chest clawed out, bleeding and dying.

Alone.

Sniffling faintly, she wiped tears and blood from her cheeks respectively, droplets of crystal and crimson dotting her eyelashes, eye dull and lifeless, as if her soul had been ripped out of her. Suddenly, the sound of a door opening and closing echoed through the building, causing a tiny cry to escape her lips, unsteadily clawing her way up the wall to rise to her feet, creeping towards the court room door, leading out to the hall, waiting until the footsteps had stopped before peering out, seeing that the figure had gone into one of the offices.

She allowed her curiosity take the reigns, there being a strange, hollow part of her that almost didn't care if she was killed or not by whoever this stranger was. Moving slowly over to the door, she cautiously peered around the frame, just able to make out a figure sat at one of the desks, looking through scraps of paper as if seeking an impossible answer.

As the light filtered a little more strongly through the window, she studied his features, a tiny part of her dead heart skipping a beat at the thought that this person, this man was... beautiful. The thought caused a small stab in her chest, remembering how she had looked at Dylan when she had first seen him, then... the blood... the... blood...

A tiny noise of agonized pain ripped from her lips, clutching at her chest as a wave of pain racked through it, finding it suddenly hard to stand, claws digging into the doorframe to keep herself standing. She almost found herself wishing that this man would hate the Damned, that he would put her out of her misery once and for all...

[Sky]

Ryder jumped at the sound of what sounded like a cry of pain, almost as if someone had just lost someone dear to them. He was int he middle if dissecting the mind of a criminal who's name escaped him at that moment. It was a female voice, and the gentleman inside him told him to stand up and see who it was, so that's exactly what he did. He stood up and was met in surprise with the pained look of a girl that appeared to be a damned.

This made him flinch a little, surprised by the fact. He never thought that he would hear a damned sound so pained such as her. He would need to handle the situation carefully, he didn't want her to just outright kill him but he didn't want to kill her, he had no need to. She was kinda cute too, if she didn't have the look of rotting flesh and those spider legs he would probably find her pretty attractive. He stepped around the desk, approaching slowly. "Are you okay there?"

An innocent question, meant as nothing more then a question. He continued to approach, lightly placing a hand on the damned's shoulder, hoping to comfort her as he pulled her into a light embrace. He was going back to his teenage years right now, knowing that a hug and soothing words often calmed a girl. "Shhh, it's okay. I'm not going to hurt you. I just want to know what's wrong."

[[*DOC]]

Doubling over slightly, Rho squeezed her eyes shut, trying to wait for the pain to pass, immediately realizing what a bad idea this was as images of her lost one flashed up in front of her eyes, blurred and distorted with crimson, seeming to burn into her mind like fire. A steady stream of tears trickled down her cheeks, thick crimson blood seeping from her 'dead' eye, dripping down from her chin onto her chest and collarbone, as if the pain truly had cut through her.

But all of agony dissipated in an instant, giving way to a strange feeling of calm. She suddenly became aware that someone was embracing her, even when it was plain to see what she was, they were holding her, telling her that they wished her no harm, that all they wanted to do was... care. Exhaling a soft breath of surprise, suitably soothed by his words and actions, and let so perplexed as to why and how this was happening... Was it a trap, a trick of some sort?

Sniffling a little, she relaxed into his embrace, gently resting her non-bleeding cheek against his shoulder as if in an act of giving up, wondering what to tell him. After a moment, she withdraw, looking up at the man who had shown her such kindness, gazing at him with intrigued, studying his features as if wanting to commit them to memory.

"I... I lost someone... close to me." She murmured, averting her gaze, trying to suppress the rush of agony that always came with thinking about it. Dabbing nervously at her eyes with one clawed hand, she shifted a little, uncomfortably, not sure what to make of the deceivingly wonderful man before her. It would be all too easy to give him her heart, and yet... Rho found herself hesitant, reluctant almost. She couldn't take... that... again.

[Sky]

Well now things were getting really interesting. Never before had Ryder heard of a Damned who actually had feelings for someone. That was interesting, a fact that he would have to remember that fact. Though at the same time he was feeling protective of the young girl. she seemed so vulnerable in her current state, as if she just needed someone there for her.

He also knew that talking about things helped out people in her situation many times. Sometimes people just needed to vent their feelings, what had happened, and once they got it off their chest things were better. He nodded slowly, gently guiding her over to an old chair. "Sit, you can tell me all about it. Did someone kill this person you were close to? And if so do you know if they were a lightning carrier?"

He figured that if someone had killed this person she was close to it could be the killer he was after, and if not it was another killer that would most likely be his next target. Oh, the life of a detective, lonely and busy often times. If he had someone by his side things would be a lot less taxing on him.

[[*DOC]]

Sitting down unsteadily, her face crumpled as he asked her his next question, a tiny sob breaking free from her pursed lips, giving way to a couple more, the words 'lightning carrier' striking a painful chord within her. She was filled with memories at his pain, trying to suppress his power, the strain it took to protect herself from the electricity, holding him tightly.

The very curse that had ended his life... "N-no... he... he was a lightning carrier... they... they said I killed him... I would never hurt him... I could... never..." Tears streamed down her face, voice cracking and giving way to agonized sobs, shaking her head with increasing passion, face contorted with pain.

"I may be a... a... m-monster... but I loved him..."

[Sky]

Ryder sighed lightly, the fact that the killer wasn't a lightning carrier didn't help much. But the girl was obviously telling the truth, he hadn't expected a Damned to fall for a Carrier, it was a very interesting circumstances. He himself was a Lightning Carrier, which made things even harder on him. If she realized that he could be in big trouble. He sighed and stood up, walking back over to his books for a moment, grabbing a flower that he had found out of the vase on the desk.

He walked back over to the girl and handed it too her, not really knowing what else to really do. "I'm sorry to hear of your pains, I truly am. Even if you did kill him, which I'm not saying you did, I'm sure it wouldn't have been on purpose. I have seen many times a family who has been impacted by the death of a loved one, it's part of my work. If you wana say anything else go ahead and continue. If not I gota continue my research on serial killers." he stated, wanting to get back to work but also wanting her to know that if talking helped that he would listen if need be.

"And if you want to you can just sit here, no need to talk. If just being in the same room with someone will help you calm down a little then stay as long as you need."

[[*DOC]]

Taking the flower silently, Rho cradled it in her palms, staring down at it, noting in surprise how... healthy it seemed to be, despite the state of the world. It was a pale cream rose, the petals still soft as satin, trembling against her faint touch, almost seeming to shrink away from her. Rho's eyes darkened, closing her fingers around it, vaguely aware that the petals seemed to shrivel under her touch, as if her cursed soul could drain the very life from it.

Shaking her head softly, she rose from the chair, keeping the rose clutched in her palm, before gazing towards the man, now sat back at his desk. She couldn't burden him, it would be unfair... As much as she wanted to stay. She knew that giving into that feeling was wrong, after all... Perhaps if she hadn't have stayed before, Dylan would still be alive...

"My... my name is Rho..." She began, figuring that at least the polite thing to do would be to introduce herself. "...thank you... I appreciate your kindness... It's more than most people would give to a person like me, after all." She smiled a little, although it seemed to exude sadness as opposed to joy.

"I won't bother you, good luck with your resear-" She stopped dead, eye widening, before staring at the man, seeming to pale slightly - if that was even possible for the girl, considering she was already ghostly pallid. He... he was... She could feel it, static moving through his veins, just like she'd felt from Dylan.

"You're a lightning carrier... aren't you?" The accusation was simple, deadpan almost, emotion seeming to drain from her features, arms falling limply by her sides. He was one of them... He was just like Dylan... It almost felt as if an hourglass hovered over their heads, now, Rho's very presence lowering a guillotine upon the man's neck.

[Sky]

So what if I am?" Ryder was simple when he wanted to be. He really didn't care if the girl knew that he was a Lightning Carrier. It was only one, very very small part of who he was, and that small part was something that he considered his best kept secret. "Even if I am a Lightning Carrier that doesn't change my views. I have no interest in harming an innocent girl. You've just been misguided by instinct for many you have killed, if you have killed many at all."

He looked up from his desk, putting down his pen and just looking at her. "And I believe that deep inside there is a girl that just wants to be accepted. A girl that just wants to find that one person who will accept her for who and what she is. I have an interest in how Damned form personally, and why they often hunt us Carriers down like a lion does it's prey. You are different however, you have proved this by not attacking me yet."

He leaned forward in his seat, placing his elbows on the table and bringing his hands together. "You still have enough of your humanity in tact to resist the urges to kill, and I respect that more then you think. Trust me, I wont harm you even if you try to harm me."

[[*DOC]]

Rho lowered her gaze, looking back to the rose, that had now shrivelled to a state of near-death in her grasp, exhaling softly at the sight. To a certain extent, he was right. In the beginning, she had killed so carelessly, as hunting was all she knew. Her loves before had attacked her and run from her, barraging her with rejection until it broke her mind, as delusional and psychotic as it already was.

But then she had met Hallelujah and Thirteen, she had developed relationships, people she cared for. A part of her humanity returned to her, she had discovered family... Sure, there were still times when she'd become brutal and relentless, the girl was still a slave to her emotions, after all. If anyone so much as spoke a threatening word to those she cared so deeply about, she wouldn't hesitate to rip them limb from limb.

But it seemed that this man understood that. He saw her as she was, not a monster, nor just a person, he saw her as Rho. And whether he was a Carrier or not... she couldn't help but like that.

"I see... But what makes you think that I can uphold this all of the time? What if I were to attack you? Surely you are not so foolish as to expect to come out of it without a scratch..." She smiled faintly, extending one clawed finger after the other, watching the light bounce off of the crimson bone.

"You're a kind person. Don't get me wrong, I would never willingly hurt someone like you... but you understand. Don't you?" She gazed up at him, almost pleadingly.

"But if I do attack you... don't hesitate to kill me. Please."

[Sky]

Ryder thought for a moment before simply nodding at the girl. She obviously did not want to harm people anymore and was looking for any way to be more human than Damned. As far as he was concerned she was more human then Damned, she hadn't attacked him yet and seemed to be ignoring the instinct all together. He was curious of the development of the girl before him.

She had the will power to ignore an instinct, and he respected her for that. He smiled a little about her comment about not coming out without a scratch. Considering his mastery of his element he was pretty sure he could get by without a single scratch. Even without his element the modified tonfas he carried had a pretty decent blow and the chains and blades made them versatile enough for him to use them for many different styles of fighting.

He nodded at her last comment, though not in agreement. "So you would rather die then harm anyone again? I can respect that, I truly can. But I have this thing where unless I know the attacker has killed on purpose and enjoys it I avoid harming them. If you did attack I would simply find a way to calm you down."

He looked down at his books again, thinking for a moment. She seemed like she would be the easiest Damned he had ever came across of to try to turn back into a human. But he would have to find out how to do so and what would need to be done. "By the way, my name is Ryder. And Rho, one more thing. Have you ever wondered if it would be possible for a Damned to become human again?"

[[*DOC]]

"Ryder..." She echoed, almost as if savouring the sound of the name. She shook her head softly, allowing her hair to sweep down over her shoulders, hanging in a curtain over her eyes. "It's not quite like that... I... just... don't feel as if I should be alive." She explained simply, shrugging.

Eyes widening as he made his last query, she stared at him for a moment in surprise, as if hardly able to believe her ears. "I... do you... do you know a way...?" She rose from her seat, come to rest just before his desk, hands clasped, gazing at him as if he held the answers to her every question.

To be human again... It did also mean she'd lack the power to protect those close to her... but it would also mean she would never be able to harm anyone again.

[Sky]

"No I do not, but I suspect it has something to do with only the Damned who have not completely lost themselves, like yourself. Possibly there is something that needs to be resolved to become human again. For some Damned it's probably kill, others it may be as simple as getting their first kiss." He looked at the girl directly in the eyes, obviously thinking hard.

"Rho, if I recall correctly from what I heard your subway car caught fire on your way to a trial. I remember hearing that a girl named Rho lost both her parents in the fire and they were unable to find a body for the girl, I am guessing that was you? Possibly the girl, the Fire Carrier who set the car ablaze needs to die? But you said you don't want to kill any more." He tapped his chin thoughtfully, looking at the spider girl curiously.

"Can you think of anything that you feel was unfinished or you never got in your life before becoming a Damned?"

[[*DOC]]

Rho stared at Ryder, eyes wide, clouding over with lost emotion as he spoke so plainly of her forgotten past, almost feeling herself go numb. The man before her melted into darkness, as the room faded into a cold, metal shell, shaking and juddering with every bump on the road, sat amongst faceless shadows of people, with no care or thought for the world, or anyone else.

Especially not her.

Even the two sat, either side of her, telling her of their disappointments, her failures and shortcomings, how she never made them proud. She was merely a failure. She remembered faintly how she swore she would prove them wrong, in that frozen moment, travelling towards the court house, that she would find a way to make them take their words back.

And yet... that chance, that vital opportunity was ripped from her. The walls engulfed into crimson flames, sweltering with violent heat, the carriage filled with screams, panic and agony. The next few moments seemed to pass as if in slow motion, the shattering of glass, a brief, fleeting flash of freedom passing before her eyes, leaping forward, abandoning those who had never loved her, collapsing on the cobblestones, feeling as if the cold had crept up through her veins to freeze her heart and lungs, plunging her into icy shock, contorting her, mutating her...

Her knees gave way, claws slicing into the edge of the desk, splinters of wood falling away, the whites of her eyes and her pupil flooding scarlet, a strange roar that almost sounded akin to a sonic boom ripping from her lips, squeezing her eyes shut, strained and agonized, as if trying to suppress a monster ripping from her very skin.

Visions still danced behind her eyes, the girl stood amongst the flames, the girl that had taken away her chance, and yet, it wasn't hatred she felt for her, it wasn't her making her this way. She was... glad her parents were dead. She had never felt love, care or compassion, not from anyone while she had been 'alive'. She had been alone for so, so long...

Breaths coming in ragged gasps, her tarantula legs extended, stiff and frozen in the air, hairs standing on end, before she moved back in a sudden, rapid movement, the web substance flying from her fingers, slicing through the desk to cut it clean in two, before crouching on the floor, clutching at the sides of her head, trembling and shaking violently, her claws digging into her scalp, as if trying to rip the thoughts from her head by force.

"Please... stop... stop..." She cried, seeming as if she were talking to her thoughts as opposed to Ryder, her voice strained and verging on animalistic.

[Sky]

Ryder blinked in surprise as the girl cried out, shooting the sharp web from her fingers in panic. He brought forward his tonfa quickly from it's hiding place in his coat and stopped the webbing from hitting him. He was surprised. He must have said something he shouldn't have, brought back memories he shouldn't have. He quickly stood up, preparing for a fight but when she pleaded to stop he just stood there, blinking at her.

Things had made an interesting turn, he just needed to know what it was that affected her, the loss of her family. Possibly she was glad they were gone? For all he knew she wasn't loved. He sighed and shook his head, clearing his mind of these wandering thoughts. He had to protect this girl, she needed at least that much, but how to get her back to a stable condition?

He thought back to old love movies, a kiss. Often times that brought a girl out of a traumatic event. For all he knew, it could help just as well here. He sighed, knowing that what he had to do was dangerous. He just hoped the girl's poison wasn't her saliva, and that if she had fangs that she wouldn't bite his lip or something. Not that it would really matter, his will power has won over many times against anything that paralyzed him such as the first Damned he killed, it had complained as he struck the killing blow that it's paralyzing stare hadn't affected Ryder at all.

He walked swiftly forward, putting his tonfa away, and wrapped the girl in a hug before tilting her chin up and giving her a kiss. He just hoped that the gesture wouldn't result in anything foreign in his body.