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Post by kiddie on Oct 6, 2012 3:47:33 GMT
During the day, Misfits was a quiet hideaway for Artisan. It was the perfect place to splurge on a couple of cocktails with a pen poised over his notepads, scribbling down notes and illustrations for mechanical designs. The latest project was a surprise for Lambda's birthday. Artisan was designing his boss a music box that when opened, played a haunting melody as a mechanical girl seemed to release a dove into the jewelry compartment. Surprisingly, the hardest part was composing the music.
The sound of fake tonfas weren't helping Artisan's concentration either. They came from a man a few seats over, who seemed oblivious to the entirely off sound his weapons were making. The metal and mystery materials were practically screaming at Artisan, begging him to investigate. As an Earth Carrier, weapons had always carried a voice, a personality in a way. The tonfas might as well have been a whiny, petulant child.
“Excuse me, sir,” Artisan blurted. The young man rocketed from his seat, snatching the tonfas in his hands to finally shut them up. He listened to the material carefully and without warning, smashed the end of one on the bar counter.
“Steel casing,” Artisan sighed, dropping the tonfas just as quickly as he'd snatched them. No matter how prepared someone was, metal was Artisan's comfort zone. If he wanted a weapon, the object would happily oblige and work its way into his possession. Ryder could've been an armed guard and Artisan would've easily gotten his hands on the weapon, the material seeming to have a mind of its own.
“Is that right?” he asked impatiently, “They sound so off. What did you do to the poor things, hollow them out? Carbon fiber?”
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Post by Sky on Oct 6, 2012 4:09:51 GMT
"You know if you had wanted to see them you could have just asked." Ryder stated, catching them both in hsi free hand before they hit the floor and setting them on the table before him, finishing up the notes he had been writing down on evidence from the last few crime scenes.
"So what if they are carbon fiber? It is many times stronger then steel and the only thing that can withstand the stress I put them under. The steel casing is just for show really. And yes, they are hollow but if you were as good with metals and telling what was in them then you would have realized that there is a five foot long chain inside the hollow area, and you also would have been able to tell that there was a hidden blade in the other end for more personal encounters."
Ryder looked up from his work and raised an eyebrow at the man before him. "From your treatment and disgust of my custom weapons I would say you are an Earth Carrier. Obviously you would hate anything that was not made of natural processes, such as my carbon fiber tonfas." Ryder looked him over a few times before nodding to himself. "You have also probably been mistaken for a girl before. You also look to have a quite hectic life for I can see stress lines above your brows. They aren't that noticeable, but it's enough for a trained eye such as mine to see. You're about twenty in age and Korean. Most likely you can also speak it quite fluently for you have an accent. Either you grew up speaking it, you were born in Korea, or you lived in Korea for your early years. You probably have trouble with men hitting on you every once in a while too, not because you look like a girl, but because you look like a very girly man."
Done with his picking apart of the young man before him Ryder leaned back in his chair, staring the kid straight in the face while he heard girls, carriers as he had assessed earlier, fall to the ground. They always seemed to faint whenever he did stuff like that. "Ryder Nier, nice to meet you."
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Post by kiddie on Oct 6, 2012 17:04:49 GMT
“Girly man my ass! How's that for fluent English, Mr. Psychic?” snapped Artisan. The Earth Carrier didn't know what reaction Ryder was hoping to accomplish by picking him apart, but Artisan wasn't going to give him any satisfaction. Was he supposed to be in awe? Giggle? Run away in fear? Pass out like the Carrier girls in the room?
Shit.
Was that supposed to be a pick up line?
Subconsciously, Artisan rubbed his forehead where the supposed stress lines resided. “Not necessarily hate,” Artisan grumbled, “More like pity the disfigured things. You would too, you would, if you heard them like I do.” Once again, his scrutinizing eyes swooped over the tonfas and he wrinkled his nose. “Artisan,” he said, ”I'm not girly. I'm Korean.”
Sitting down at the nearest bar stool, a frustrated look on his face, Artisan glowered at Ryder. “Let's get to the point. How do you know so much about me?” Much to his confusion, Artisan found his thoughts flickering to Lambda. Was she safe? Were there a swarm of hunters patrolling the hospital at that very moment? “What else do you know?” he demanded nervously.
”Please be safe, Lambda...” he thought, “I always leave revolvers in the floor boards. You know where they are...if Heinz didn't move them.”
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Post by Sky on Oct 6, 2012 17:18:52 GMT
"Ahh, but I already said you are Korean, doesn't mean that some men may think you are girly. I myself would not have thought so." Ryder was talking simply, his analytically mind working as usual. "Oh, and not all Korean's have long hair, only the singers really keep it long. I'm guessing then that you have a decent voice?" Ryder gave a shrug before giving the man a curious look.
"Does that fact that I got every single one of those remarks from your appearance and body language alone put you at ease any? Don't worry, I'm not some hunter looking to take out your friends." He grabbed his drink off the counter and took a long drag of it before setting the cub back down.
"Oh, and if you pity my tonfas then how about we pit then against steel ones? I bet you they will hold out under more stress then any steel. Unlike you earth carriers I understand that sometimes performance is best if you have carbon fiber for a blunt weapon." He picked up a tonfa and placed it back in the pockets of his coat.
"Oh, and whoever you're worrying about is safe. I have no interest in hunting any carriers down other then the current serial killer who has caught my attention. I'm a detective after all. Do you know any lightning carriers that like to kill?" Ryder leaned forward, looking Artisan straight in the eye. "Or any that like to have a lot of sex? Most of his victims so signs of rape before they are killed."
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Post by kiddie on Oct 6, 2012 18:04:41 GMT
Choosing not to affirm Ryder's assumption, Artisan skipped over the question pertaining to his singing voice. If Ryder was such an expert, he could figure it out for himself! The only time Artisan sang was in the privacy of his temporary workshops, usually during the a rush order where concentrating on lyrics were the only thing to keep him awake. Artisan didn't feel uncomfortable staring into Ryder's gaze, instead meeting the man's eyes with his judgmental brown ones.
“Sounds fine to me as long as I get to hold the opposing weapon. Unlike you...other people, metal won't break unless I tell it to. That's what I understand,” said Artisan, “You want to know what else us Earth Carriers are real good at understanding? If somebody's being a pretentious ass.”
This was not the right way to begin a friendship; insulting Artisan's knowledge of weaponry and calling him “girly”.
“What kind of company do you think I keep?” Artisan asked, “Closest thing to that was a guy who tried to hit on me at the bar. I'd say he was more perverted than dangerous. Lucas something or other.” Grumbling at the memory, Artisan busied himself by plucking some of Heinz's hair off his shoulder. “I guess I could thank him though,” Artisan admitted, “Made my boss jealous enough to kiss me.”
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Post by Sky on Oct 6, 2012 18:36:02 GMT
"I'm not saying you like to hang out with killers. I'm simply looking to find and get rid of this one man to make this dying world a bit safer for everyone. That should actually be my next big case, finding a way to revive the dying world. It may have something to do with the Goddesses after all." He stroked his chin thoughtfully for a moment, wondering if his guess was right. If the Goddesses really were the reason for the death of the world.
Either they were weakened or just wanted the world to die, he couldn't tell though. But he could find out eventually. How he would find out he didn't know, but he suspected that there was someone he could find to take him to them. Possibly they could help him return Rho to her human state too.
He let out a sigh, obviously thinking he was thinking way to much into things. "The Godesses may be the answer to the dying world and turning Rho back into a human" his voice was low, him more talking to himself then anything else. So he had two major cases now, find a way to get help Rho become human again and kill and or catch the serial killer.
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Post by kiddie on Oct 6, 2012 18:58:53 GMT
“Even if the world's safe, it won't do any good if its dead,”
At least the two of them would have that one goal in common; keeping the world alive. Artisan honestly wasn't sure if the Goddesses were real or an ancient myth, but he tended to lean towards the latter. Magic lacked grounding and foundation, the two things Artisan relied on.
“It actually hurts you know—like a legitimate pain every day, to feel the world dying,” he admitted, “It really sucks. Some days I can't even move. It's just too painful. Like somebody's ripping out your lungs with a pair of tongs. My boss usually leaves me alone on those days though, even if I don't tell her what's wrong. I thought I was going crazy, but I suppose other Earth carriers might feel it too.”
Artisan felt closest to the Earth when he was working, when there was an untouched piece of metal in his hands ready to be molded into weaponry. The dull ache inside his chest subsided and he could relax, no longer feeling the slow deterioration of the world. Whether he liked it or not, Earth was a part of Artisan he simply couldn't get rid of.
“Rho? Is she or he...one of the Damned?” Artisan asked.
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Post by Sky on Oct 6, 2012 19:42:29 GMT
Ryder nodded at Artisan's claim. It made sense, Earth Carriers were the closes to the Earth, so the most likely to feel the effects of the Earth dying. he himself didn't feel any, but then again lightning was not really affected by the dying of the Earth. Look at Jupiter after all, it was full of lightning but no life as they knew it. He tapped the table a few times with his pen before flinching as Artisan asked if Rho was a Damned.
"Yeah, she is. I promised her I would try to find a way to make her human once more. She is probably the most human like Damned I have ever met too. She doesn't like to kill, heck she despises killing. Only her instincts drive her to kill, yet she is able to keep them at bay. Though I did find out the hard way not to bring up anything from her past. It's too painful for her and can make her panic and act a little crazy."
He shook his head, looking back down at the crime scene logs. "But I also need to find this killer. He has been on the loose way too long. I have at least five logged kills by this man, and the next will be coming soon from what I have read of his pattern."
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Post by kiddie on Oct 6, 2012 20:25:49 GMT
“Can you even do that?” Artisan asked, “I mean, once you're damned to hell...There's no reset button to start over again. Not that I believe in hell. Does anybody really deserve to suffer for eternity?”
The way Artisan viewed the world was that people suffered, no matter how kindhearted they were. The only way to enjoy life was if you got past that, took the days easy, and achieve what you like. Excellence, knowledge, and...girls were key to life, in his opinion anyway!
“What's the guy look like anyway?” Artisan asked, “I bet if you got a girl to go undercover for you, you'd find out which one in the room is him.” The world appeared to get worse every time Artisan left the safety of the Crusaders. Not only was the planet itself dying, but a perverted serial killer was running loose. "What do you know about him so far? Well, besides the fact he likes to use his charm for the forces of evil. I bet he isn't even good looking!"
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Post by Sky on Oct 8, 2012 0:56:36 GMT
[blockuqote]Ryder shook his head and glanced up at the man, a knowing smile on his face. "I know it seems unlikely, but I refuse to accept that she is stuck as little miss spider for the rest of her life. I have a feeling that it has something to do with something missing in their life. And i think only those Damned who still have their humanity have a chance to be human again. Rho shows the signs that she is still very human inside, she was crying over someone she lost when I first met her."
He shrugged and opened up his notes again, look at them before Artisan asked about how the guy looks. "As far as I can tell he seems to be five foot nine, maybe a little underweight from his shoe imprints. he also definitely has black hair, for the blonds he has killed I have found black, human hair on the scene. But that's all I know."
Ryder leaned back, glass in hand again as he drank for a moment. "And I'm guessing he is at least attractive because after interviews with some of these people's friends they woudl only go with someone if they were attractive."[/blockquote]
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Post by kiddie on Oct 8, 2012 3:49:05 GMT
“Don't fallen angels cry outside the gates of heaven?,” Artisan said bitterly, “Tears don't mean much from anyone. They're just a way to...to pull your heart, so people can get what they want out of you. People don't come after others unless there's something to gain and Damned shouldn't be an exception to that rule. I'd be careful if I were you.”
With his index finger, Artisan traced the scratches on the wooden counter. Paper, wood, metal—they were all the same to him. Nature would never ask him for anything, yet would offer everything it had in return. The grass would continue to grow whether or not Artisan used his gift to create, and for that, he found solace with the Earth.
“It's funny you would mention that...He did have black hair,” mused Artisan, “Pretty skinny too. I guess you could say he was underweight, you could. Isn't that a coincidence?”
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Post by Sky on Oct 8, 2012 4:19:10 GMT
"And if I didn't think it could be done I would not do it at all. Have you even heard of me Artisan? I am a detective, one of the, if not the best one of this day and age. And considering I have solved at least one murder case every years since I turned nineteen. I would say it's pretty hard to stump me." His voice was in mroe of a mater of fact way, not really insulting.
When he stated the attributes that he was looking for Ryder looked up from his work station and raised an eyebrow. "Can you tell me more about this man? Like how was he acting, anything suspicious about him? Do you have any idea where he lives or if he has a next target?"
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Post by kiddie on Oct 8, 2012 15:18:15 GMT
“All I'm trying to say is just because a monster cries, doesn't mean it's human. Lots of bad creatures cry—human or not—but it's almost always to manipulate you. You seem like a smart guy, so try to be careful. The last thing you want is for her to lure you into some type of trap," said Artisan, “Nope, never heard of you. But everybody makes mistakes.”
Artisan seemed to recoil by the sudden pressuring questions and he leaned back in his stool, trying to recall the night he met Lucas. “I don't remember much, I don't...He mentioned something about clock making and getting thrown in jail with my boss. I mean, he did hit on my boss' cousin after he learned I wasn't going to swing his way. They made out and were talking about going at it, so I left—took my boss with me. I don't remember much after that though, I was drunk, I was.”
Artisan conveniently made sure his memory blanked out after he and Lambda left the bar.
Ryder didn't really need to know what the duo did after that...
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Post by Sky on Oct 8, 2012 18:03:17 GMT
"Atrisan you're telling this to the guy who solved his second murder mystery by watching the body language of the father. The man was crying, but I could tell he was faking. these were legitimate tears and I could see true pain I her coming from her eyes." Ryder shook his head and frowned.
"You're hiding something from me but I suspect it is about the time you and your boss had. I wont push you for those details, but did her cousin come back alright? I need to know if She came back alright. This is information taht can save who know's how many lives in the future."
Ryder leaned forward, resting his elbow on his knee.
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Post by kiddie on Oct 13, 2012 17:55:31 GMT
“Is this the part where I take your word for it and believe everything you say?” asked Artisan, “Even if you’re the best there is, it doesn’t mean you can’t mistakes. Like I said, you’re a smart guy. All I’m saying is to be careful”
Absentmindedly, Artisan traced circles on the counter with his index finger. A light blush crept upon his cheeks as he did so, a sign he rather not dwell on what’d happened between him and Lambda with such a stranger. “It happened last night...I thought she might be a little occupied while over at her friend’s house,” he said, “I wouldn’t worry though. This girl can keep her own, she can...Although I doubt she’d go at it with a serial killer.”
Then again, Calista had been drunk.
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