Edges of Insanity [OPEN]

[Reli Kain]

The man sighed. Sigh's always confused Reli, she thougt they were thr strangest shows of emotion. They could preceed a yell, or a cry, or even a laugh. They could indicated victory or defeat, indicate when you've gone too far or not far enough. Sigh's emcompassed far too many things, as far as Reli was concerned, and she was predictably stumped by this one.

He warned her that he could kill her, and said with knowlagable regret that he didn't want her blood on his hands (even if she was a stranger). After his words, he walked away again, and a few steps behind, Reli followed. The man looked over his shoulder, surely catching sight of her. Reli took this as silent permission to quick-step her way up to his side again.

After a short moment, she asked; "What makes you think that there's not a good chance that I could kill you?" She looked at him, her eyes flicking from his jaw line to his eyes the last sign of playfulnesss. "Maybe that's why I'm following you so insistantly. Maybe I'm planning on killing you. Or maybe I don't want to kill you, but I'd prefer it was you over someone I loved." Her jeans had finally dried, they stuck cold and stiff around her legs. But she didn't mind, she was wearing boyshort-cuts underneath and (understandably) her family hadn't exactly put 'modesty' at the top of the list of things to teach her.

[ryn]

Ryn put little thought into what she was saying. The thought that she could kill him had not occurred to him until that moment. However she didn't feel like a killer. He had been around countless people that could be considered killers in his life time. Many of which were his marks. There was a distinct aura given off by such people. It was hard to explain if you weren't used to the feeling, but the aura was certainly there, and unmistakable if you knew what it felt like. She didn't have such an aura so her words were like that of a child trying to act tough upon his ears. "Could you kill me? Right this moment?" He asked curiously. It would be nice would it not? To finally die after all this time. He would welcome it if she could really do it, but he wouldn't hold his breath.

"Have you ever killed a person before? Willfully?" he asked curiously. perhaps she had killed in the past, but is was probably not intentionally. Lots of weres had a kill or two under their belt simply because it takes a while before you you could control yourself. Ryn never slowed his pace. He was walking in the opposite direction of where he lived simply because he didn't want this person no matter how harmless she seemed; finding out where he lived. Instead he was just gonna walk until she got tired of him and went away. Assuming he had the patience to do so. If not then he may just let whatever happens, happen...It was all up to fate after all how things played out , regardless of your choices.

[Reli Kain]

Reli was glad, when the only tone we questioned in was curiosity, as opposed to mockery. He questioned her on if she could actually kill him, right then, and if she'd ever actually murdered before. After his last question, she snorted.

"Stupid." she scornfully said under her breath. At her usual volume, she went on; "A person. How predictable, how boring. Because humaniod creatures are the only ones that matter, right? They're the only ones that really matter, yeah?" Scorn filled her voice. She understood, how most people felt about killing. Well, she understood in theory. If it wasn't human, you killed it. If it was human, but accidental, it was manslaughter. Human and on purpose; murder. Murder, the majority seemed to think, was the worst.

Why a humans life was more important than anyother Reli escaped Reli in anything other than basic theory. her uncle had explained it to her best; Killing a human makes people think that people they care about could die. This is an uncomfortable feeling that people don't like. So they don't like you for making them feel it. People don't usually look at other animals and think 'That could be my mother/lover/sibling'. They think 'Oooo, roast chicken'.

Reli was silent for seconds before, "No." she watched straight out in front of her as she talked "I've never killed a person before. Willfully or otherwise. I've killed pleanty of other animals, but you won't care about that." She pouted for a while longer (but kept the air about her that she was going to start speaking again) until her anger petered out and she smiled in the man's general direction. "I just wanted to give you food for thought." she adopted a pretend-scolding voice and said, while raising her eyebrows in a mock-disapproving manner, "You really are a very assuming man." And managed to give him a stern look before breaking out laughing.

Even as all this happened, her mind snapped pieces of infomation together (some conciously retrieved, some subconsiously) until it formed something she could make a game of. The feeling that her uncle gave off, his words and why he would choose them, his questions, even his melancholy manner, all pieced together. With a sly look (after her burst of laughter had died out of the air), she turned her face to him and asked, "So... who did you kill?"

[ryn]

Ryn raised an eyebrow brow at the girls statement. She sounded for a moment like one of those P.E.T.A bastards. Such talk didn't phase him. Every life was worth the same to him. Though he put a little more weight in the lives of wolves bother were and otherwise. As far as he should be concerned stamping out a human life was the same as stepping on as cockroach in more ways than one. When she admitted that she'd never killed anyone Ryn scoffed. So much for the big talk that she was spewing a moment ago. There was no way some one like her could ever grant him the death he so craved. After all even if he wanted to die it's not like he would not put up a fight. Dying a boring death was not something that interested him.

The turnabout came as expected. She asked Ryn who he had killed. He only remembered the names of a couple. Everyone else was simply either a face, or a dollar amount. "Too many to remember" he stated solemnly. His voice seemed a bit less regretful than he would have liked. Just another sign that his current self was reverting back to the Ryn of the past. The Ryn that wasn't bother by death, and enjoyed killing even more so than a job.It was almost like...a hobby. The Ryn that embraced his other half and give it every chance to get out and sharping it's claws. It was the Ryn he no longer wanted to be , but he no longer had a choice it seemed.

(sorry bout the long time to respond. Been busy and my muse committed suicide)

[Reli Kain]

(Oh no, poor muse. No worries.)



He grimly evaded her quesiton, claiming too many victims to recall. His voice didn't seem regretful though, Reli noted with satisfaction. She made no effort to think of a response that didn't exist for his statement, she was just glad she had been right. She looked over at him a few times, sometimes with just her eyes, sometimes commiting her whole upperhalf to the task, as the walked along. She was content in the silence.

He still felt dangerous and familar, but the feelings were becoming complacent. She did her best to stay aware of them, keeping her metaphorical eye on the warning signs. She didn't recognise were they were walking, but she still idly identified escape routes. She wondered if they were walking to or away from a more populated area, she calculated the consequences of that as well. She vaugely hoped that she was tailing her companion away from population - he may take it upon himself to reveal what he is, or to explain why he thought he was so dangerous, or maybe even how he'd come to kill enough people to begin to forget them.

Reli also hoped she was being lead away from the common populace to make it easier for her to change if she wanted. She had a latent urge to hunt a game animal, but not for herself; for him. Give it to him and feed him. My God, a maternal instinct?! For someone older than you, who you barely know? How funny.

Out loud, she classified "Funny peculiar and funny ha ha..."

[ryn]

Ryn stopped when she spoke, and looked ate her curiously. What he said was in some way, shape, or form funny? He ran his fingers though his hair while he eyed her before he spoke. "What part of that is funny? It's more so tragic is it not? I extinguished the sparks of so many lives....." he trailed off as his eyes set on the diner across the street. His stomach growled loudly on queue. Ryn ran a hand over it briefly as if trying to calm it down. When was the last time he ate? It had been a couple days hadn't it? Ryn had been so caught up in what was happening to him he had forgotten that he needed to eat something. Pressing the button next to the cross walk Ryn waited for the signal to change. He always used the crosswalk after all taxi drivers were dangerous especially late at night when fewer people were around to witness there acts of cruelty upon pedestrians.

Finally after what seemed like forever to the hungry wolf; the signal changed indicating that he could cross. Ryn crossed the street intently heading towards the diner. He patted his pocket to ensure that he had his wallet. Satisfied with the lump he felt he stopped in front of the diner and looked over his shoulder. He wasn't enjoying her company, but he was a gentleman first, a murderous wolf second. He opened the door and held it for her. "Hungry too I suppose?" he asked as he waited for her to enter, or turn him down. If she was so intent on following him he would not be able to eat if she was sitting there watching him rather than eating as well.

[Reli Kain]

Of course, he took her statement the wrong way. Hardly surprising since there was little to no indication that she was talking to herself. His response trailed off as his gaze wandered. Following his look across the street, Reli spotted a diner. She unsuccessfully smothered a giggle as the man's stomach growled, as if daring the diner to satisfy it she fancied. He paitiently waited for the crosswalk lights to change as Reli opted for bouncing impatiently about him; if it where up to her they'd have bounded across by now. Not exactly 'damned the consequences' but more forgetting them in the first place.

As they crossed the street (Reli trailing like some sort of puppy) it reached a pinnacle of obviousness that they were headed for the diner. He stopped in front of the establishment, causing a distracted Reli to jump backwards and shift from foot to foot as he looked at her. He opened the door and held it, guessing that she shared his hunger. She looked down at her stomach and, as if on cue, she felt the acids inside churn. Looking up at him she replied, "You suppose correct, Mr. Assuming Man." and she strode through the doorway and into the diner.

She bounced about - a bit too lively for the time of night - and surveyed the seats. Tonight a claustrophobic sense over came her when she thought of the booths, so she bounced over to the stools. Plonking herself down on one she was delighted to find that they swiveled. She let out a sound of joy as she swiveled around a few times, before turning the stool so that she could face the man walking in. Something bloody, something meaty. Chef! A blue steak on the double! But aloud she said nothing, merely watching her mysterious figure.

[ryn]

Mr. Assuming man was it? He hadn't told her his name did he? He probably shouldn't after all he wasn't her friend. She was just a hindrance to him, like a fly that wouldn't go away no matter how many time you swatted at it. After holding the door for two women that were entering behind them. Ryn finally made his way to to the seat adjacent to the won that the girl had chosen. Ryn would have preferred a more secluded area of the diner. It was occupational instinct after all. To keep as low a profile as possible. Even in something as simple as having dinner. After a few minutes a waitress came over with some menu's and asked what they would like to drink. Ryn ordered lemonade, and once his stalker ordered her drink the waitress scurried off to retrieve them. Ryn opened his menu and glanced through it briefly quickly deciding what he wanted without much hesitation. He closed his menu and set it near the edge of the table so that it could be easily collected once their orders were made.

Ryn looked across the table at the girl curiously noting her features. She wasn't bad looking, though not up to bar with the kind of women he typically associated himself with. Ryn's eyes shifted slowly around the room as he cased the place. Another occupational instinct. Within moments he knew how many men/ women were in the diner, where all the exits were, and how often someone passed by outside. You didn't survive for as long as he had by not paying attention to your surroundings. Though at the park he had let his mind wander so far away that he had never even heard this girl approach even though she was so close. Her scent was interesting, familiar like he had experienced it before. He knew she was a were and not a wolf though it was similar, He had met someone with such a scent in the past but in the end they had ended up being a wolf after all didn't they? Perhaps his nose was going bad. "order whatever you like....after we eat I assume you'll be on your way?" Ryn asked but his tone was much more of the telling sort than asking.

[Reli Kain]

She watched him hold the door, she watched him sit next to her. After a few minutes a waitress approached with menu's and asked the custom starting order. He got his drink name out first, before Reli ordered a strawberry shake (with a smile, of course). The man seemed to decide quickly from the menu, but Reli took her time reading everything there was to offer. Meat, meat, why don't you just go hunt? 'Cause you're following Mr. Dangerous Assuming Man. Oh yeah, now - eat meat, so... She finally decided on steak and chips, hopefully as rare as possible. She knew she was hungry enough to finish it.

In her peripheral, she saw him looking around, probably curious to where they were eating. She also, saw him looking at her, but didn't think to make anything of it. She herself gave a sniff, and that gave her as much infomatin about where she was as she cared for. A diner that may not be strictly up with the Food Regulations, men and women who were ending their days, a few whose brains must be addled from the chemical scents wafting off them (if only they knew). And his scent, again.

He told her to order whatever, and said that she'd be on her way after they'd eaten. Technically, he asked, but his tone left no room for doubt what he wanted. Carefully, she leaned over and placed her menu softly on top of his own. "You really live up to your title, Mr. Assuming Man." But she made no more comment on the matter. "Do you reckon the do blue steaks here? Or, you know, at least rare?" She glanced at him, giving a smile while the rest of her face wavered. He was getting rid of her. That put a damper on even her playful attitude.

[ryn]

Ryn shrugged at her question about blue steak. "they should...its not like its difficult to make" he stated as the waitress came back and set there drinks on the table. She asked if they were ready to order. Ryn took a sip of his drink and nodded "I'll Have the biggest porterhouse you have, cooked very rare. With steamed broccoli, and some sauteed shrimp....okay beautiful?" he stated to waitress giving her a flirtatious grin. A bit of red rushed to her cheeks as she turned to the girl, and waited for her order. Ryn pulled his cellphone out of his pocket. It had been eerily quiet since the night that he stopped accepting hits. What kind of person did it make you when the only people who ever called you were corrupt scum of society paying for you to take the lives of their enemies. In the past it had given Ryn a vent for the beast inside. He was beginning to think that he was losing control because his other half had become restless. Ryn had all but sealed it away after all. Though now it seemed to be back with a vengeance. Perhaps if he took up being a hired hitter again he'd be able to calm the beast once more. Or perhaps it was too late. Either way it really didn't matter anymore....Everyone he cared about were dead or gone. Who cared if the rest of the world burned under his rage.

[Reli Kain]

"Steak and chips as rare as the cook'll cook, please!" she grinned at the waitress, who jotted down the order and walked away (with more a a swing to her hips than when she approached).

Reli looked at the man once more, originally planning just to glance but catching herself staring. His brown hair stood interestingly enough to hold her attention for some ridiculous amount of time. But her attention drifted (without meaning to, her gaze shifted just slightly) as she thought on her family.

She wasn't to sure why she kept thinking of her family, The full moon I guess., but shekept imagining the pack running through the woods. She remebered when she use to run with them, how could they not have known what she was? even for that short amount of time, how could they not guess. She balled her hands into fists, her face hardened to an anger held just behind her eyes. How could they not see! So what if we ran at night, the moon! The full bloody moon was out! It couldn't have caught them by surprise.

Small particles clung to the diner windows, fog creeping onto them from the edges, engulfing the invisible barriers.

[ryn]

The lemonade was mediocre at best, but Ryn wasn't expecting greatness at this time of night to begin with. He sipped it in quiet anticipation of the steak that he would soon partake of. His eyes settled on the girl across from him. He could instantly tell that she had something on her mind. Even if her face didn't show it her eyes did. The first thing he learned when he became and assassin was that a persons eyes would always betray them. Mostly he didn't want to involve himself with this girl anymore than he already had. Even this dinner was way too much. He should have simply just knocked her out somewhere and left her. However he wasn't capable of such things at the moment. This version of himself was too soft and caring to do what was necessary. Even if they events that had been happening around him recently were awakening his original personality; This version of himself was not yet absorbed into the more dominant and vicious persona that had begun to awaken from its long slumber.

"Is there something on your mind?" Ryn asked sincerely, as he set his glass back onto the table. He could kick himself for asking. So much for not getting more involved. He didn't even know this girl. Not even her name, she was pretty much stalking him also. Why should he care about her problems? That is how he would have liked to feel about the situation. This wasn't the case of course obvious by his question. "You have a name right? What is it?" he asked knowing that if he found out her name then he would actually opening the door that led to caring about what happened to her. That was the reason he was in this situation wasn't it? He started caring too much about the people around him. Alice He had known here only long enough for a one night stand, yet the sight of her mauled corpse had saddened him so. More so the fact that he was the one that did it made much more painful. In the past he would have simply cleared his tracks and moved on. Whats a human life anyway when they reproduce like a swarm of roaches across the earth. Getting squished by those stronger than they should be natural.

[Reli Kain]

He had noticed her vacant stare. Though the question, when it came, wasn't completely unanticipated the sincere tone was. She would've expected him to be more sarcastic. Of course he could tell she was intent on something, there were enough signs; her hard, vacant stare; her clenched jaw; her hands, unconciously curled into fists, laying on her legs; her breathing pattern, heavy through her nose; her legs, unusually planted on the foot rest on the stool.

When he enquired for her name, that swung the scales dangerously (though whether they tipped or not was yet to be seen). Her voice was soft at first, as if it pained her to speak. "Kain. Kain. Kain, Kain," But as she continued her rant it got faster and louder, "Kain, KainKainKAIN!" Luckily, the potential audience seemed to late-night to pay much attetnion to this little display. She sniffed, her pulse erratic, and finished answering in much softer tones). "Reli Kain." She sat, anger still pent up in her jaw and her arms tingleing with the chance. Her eyes stared confused and wild, an outer reflection of the scared animal she was.

The fog on the windows had surged as she'd ranted, and the musty film was drawing comments from some of the customers. She pressed her legs together, hung her head and crossed her arms, hugging her middle, moving into a lesser version of a fetal postion. "I'm Reli Kain. Ignore the cliche but my family hates me. And I wanna know you." she nodded, comfirming her words to only herself.

[ryn]

When she reacted strangely to his simple request for her name; Ryn considered the situation. It seemed that not only was she a stalker, but she may very well be quite disturbed. Ryn didn't seemed to be outwardly bothered by her outburst. He simply looked at her curiously after her name was said. Ryn wondered what kind of even could cause summon to react in such a way to something as simply as saying their name. He had already established that she was a were from the moment he caught wind of her. It wasn't uncommon for weres to lose there mind when they are unable to cope with the truth of what they are. Ryn himself was probably borderline insane. His ability to cope had decreased drastically in the recent months. However his body had it's own way of coping. Ryn's mind was slowly but surely reverting to a state in which he was completely at peace with what he was. Unfortunately it would bring out the worst of him, and this Ryn, the one who was calm, and caring would once again be locked away in the dark abyss of his soul.

Ryn's thoughts were interrupted as he mind registered her second statement. He raised an eye brow curiously. She said her family hates her. So there was probably some sort of abuse. Weres typically weren't treated kindly even by those that were blood related. It was simply how things were. Every were that had ever been revealed to humanity had been killed, same as every vampire. Even with this fact in mind Humans were still considered the weaker species? Ryn was about to say something reassuring about her family not hating her. The words however got stuck in his throat as she said that she wanted to know him. He didn't understand at all what she meant and didn't really want to be bothered trying to figure it out. So he did the simplest thing he could do in the situation. "....what do you mean you wanna know me?" he asked curiously as he eyed her. Everything about this girl was suspicious. Something just didn't feel right, and that was his gut instinct.

[Reli Kain]

His question trotted through one of reli's ears and out the other, btu some part of it was left behind in her mind. She mulled it over. See, that had been the reason her phrase was so oddly worded - she didn't conciously know exactly what she meant. All she had was her starting point ("Why are you so horribly familar? Emphasis on the 'horribly'.") but she knewit was more than that now. She had a curious nature - always had - and something drew her to this man the longer she stayed with him. It dawned on her that he could hav some sort of power, that forced her to be compelled by him, but the idea swiftly left of its own accord.

The air grew heavy with moisture, Reli still lost in a subconcious dark forest without a wolf to help, grey muzzles biting her. She tried to drag her mind into the present and reality, tried to answer the question posed to her. "I-" she stopped. What if just told her the answer then left? That she couldn't bare and she'd just hate if her uncle somehow conected this man to her sure dissappearance. "I felt you were familar, but I dunno why." she mumbled to her chest. "But now you're, um, I- I don't even know. You're- you're- you're-" Inspiration struck "You're a playmate in the making." It probably sounded immature, but then again she'd been scolded for that more than enough times already. besides, she could find no better words to describe it. And if she didn't answer, he probably would stop talking, then he'd leave and then she'd loose herself to her nightmares.

"What's your name?" she asked, jerking her head up to face his expression. "Maybe that's a start." Her face was wrinkled with confusion, eyes still wild. She waited, expectant.