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Who: Albedo and Ryu
What: Catching a murderer in the act.
When: Late at night, but before Dark Hour.
Where: Somewhere in town?
Rating: R
Warnings: Blood, gore, mutilation, NPC death, sadism and traumatizing a little kid.

Giving Nigredo the slip had been...difficult, to say the least. With the recent rash of murders, both brothers were keeping a closer eye on each other than normal, and Albedo had no doubt that part of the reason for his younger sibling's extra vigilance was to make sure that Albedo himself wasn't the killer. Difficult, but not impossible. For all his theatrics, Albedo was stealthier than most would think and every bit as smart as his brother.

Getting out of the hotel was the hard part, but after that was easy. He had already ensured that his intended victim would be somewhere public but out of the way. The hardest part, he found, was holding off on the mutilation until after the kill to be in keeping with the news reports. A clean kill simply wasn't his style, and he nearly couldn't help but give his victim time to scream so he could savor what would be his first proper kill since he'd gotten here. Longer, if he didn't count his hand in his father's death. But he couldn't afford the attention, not if he didn't want to get caught. If he was, after all, it was almost a sure thing that the other murders would be pinned on him as well. He couldn't afford that. So a quick kill it was. Then came the fun part.

By the time he was done with the corpse, it was barely recognizable. The scene was covered in blood and bits of flesh, the head of the civilian completely severed from the body. It hadn't been too long since Albedo had last smelled this much blood, but it never really got old. As he stepped back to survey his work, he hummed softly to himself and licked the blood off of the side of his knife.

"That ought to be convincing enough. Heheh, a pity the news was so squeamish about showing the corpses, or else I'd know for certain whether or not it matches. I hope I haven't overdone it."

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[Ryu had been sitting on the roof, stargazing, when he spotted Albedo leaving the hotel. Something didn't seem right, and he ducked inside, grabbing his sword and heading out to follow him. It had taken longer than he had hoped, and by the time he spotted Albedo again, he was already killing the civilian.]

[By the time he managed to get close to Albedo, the other had already disfigured and mutilated the corpse. Quietly, Ryu walks forward, head down slightly and hair falling over his eyes. He stops behind his 'uncle'.]

[When he speaks, his voice is low and serious.]

You have no right. You have no right to take the lives of anyone you please.

*Well. This...was not according to plan. Albedo turns to look over his shoulder, not that he needs to to know who saw him. He'd recognize that voice anywhere.*

If that was how this world worked, warfare and murder simply wouldn't exist, now would they? The simple fact that you might forget, Ryu, is that I was born a weapon. This is the very sort of thing I exist for.

*He turns, holding his knife down by his side.*

It isn't as if this one pathetic human is going to make much difference in the grand scheme of things, anyway. Even if I hadn't killed her, she would have scarcely had an impact on the world at large. Besides, in this case, there's more behind it than simple amusement on my part.

[Ryu's hand shoots out with surprising speed, grabbing Albedo by the front of his shirt. His eyes are narrowed in anger.]

One person can change the world. One person can either save it or doom it. It is not your place to decide that. And I know you were born a weapon. That still doesn't give you the right to kill anyone you come across. A weapon waved around wildly is only going to hurt people who don't deserve it - and maybe the weapon itself.

[His grip on Albedo's shirt tightens.]

I may care about you a lot, but I will not stand by and let innocent people get hurt.

*Albedo's hand comes up with equal speed to wrap around Ryu's wrist. He has to restrain himself a bit, since his first instinct is to squeeze the offending limb until it lets go, one way or the other, but he doesn't want to hurt Ryu.*

One person that isn't even capable of recognizing the truly noteworthy events of this world? I hardly see how the natives of this place are any more significant than cattle. And a single murder hardly counts as killing anyone I come across.

['Noisy bug.']

[Ryu's breathing gets harsher, and it's clear he's just barely keeping himself in control. Seiryu flickers behind him, but he forces it back. No. He can't hurt Albedo like that. He won't let himself lose control again. He can't.]

This isn't our world. What right do we have to pass judgement on them? What right do we have to hurt them? Even if you don't think of them as anything significant, you don't slaughter people for fun. There's no use in it.

Au contraire. If we're to escape this place, we need to understand the motives and abilities of our captors, do we not? I didn't choose this person at random, you know. If she returns at the end of a week, we'll know that the unusual brand of immortality we've all been given extends to the natives of this place as well. If she remains dead, then either our hosts have no interest in maintaining the lives of any but us Persona users or else are incapable of reviving any but we outsiders.

[He gets the reasoning, but -]

Lives aren't toys for you to play with or break! Lives are not experiments!

[Sorry Albedo, but the wrist you didn't grab is attached to a fist which is now flying towards your face.]

*And it connects, if maybe a bit awkwardly due to the height difference. Albedo has to take a step back and growls lowly, but that last word of Ryu's is ringing in his head. The thought of this as an experiment hadn't crossed his mind, probably very deliberately. Thinking of it in terms of experimenting smelled too much of Yuriev, and he would never admit any sort of similarity to his father.*

Experiments? I scarcely think such a simple test of curiosity qualifies as an experiment.

*His grip tightens around Ryu's wrist and he swings his hand to shove the boy away. He barely restrains himself from swinging in return, or worse. He doesn't want to hurt him. He doesn't want to lose control of his anger. Briefly, he wonders if this is how Rubedo felt when he was still trying to restrain himself before their fight.*

[Ryu's just barely in control of his own anger, and some small part of him is glad that he hasn't reached for his sword yet.]

Killing people and seeing what happens to them is definitely something I would call an experiment. Even if you really had to, going so far as to mutilate them, to butcher them like they're nothing is way past anything that's acceptable!

[Even through his anger, he's starting to cry. It hurts too much. He doesn't want to see another person disfigured like that.]

Stop this. Don't you ever do it again. I don't care how you feel about it, respecting someone else's life is something you need to learn. Or else you're no better than... than that monster who tortured Elina!

*The words hurt more than the punch, and in a way his twisted interpretation of pain couldn't turn into something enjoyable. He had already, to an extent, equated this person to similar people in his own world. People he loathed and despised and regarded as far worse monsters than himself. Anger was the first thing that came in response as he reflexively denied that he was anything like them. He was acutely aware of the bloody knife still in his hand, how easily it would cut through the weak flesh of the person who had dared compare him to the likes of them. His hand tightened around the handle before he managed to push that reaction down, forcing himself to remember that this was Ryu. If he attacked him like that, it would be just like last time. And the tears. Physical suffering was never something he could understand, but emotional pain...that he knew. And seeing Ryu in tears made his gut twist in ways he couldn't really comprehend. His hand loosened on the knife, shaking a bit before he could steady himself. Showing weakness like that wasn't something he did.*

You speak as if you think she's even capable of caring what happens at this point.

*He's trying to keep up the arrogant image, but his voice has lost its confidence and taken on a tone closer to worry.*

What I did here was necessary to make certain the authorities of this place would assume it the work of the same person who's already been going around killing people.

*Even though not all of the victims were mutilated. Even though left to his own style of killing, it would have been much slower.*

It's a matter of basic respect, Albedo.

[He shakes his head.]

Not all of the bodies were like that. You should know that. I know you saw the broadcast too.

[His anger is cooling a little, especially at noticing Albedo's tone. He doesn't know what to do. Again, he wishes Deis was with him.]

Please. Please promise me you won't do it again.

A good thing, then, that I have little respect for the majority of mankind.

*Could he promise that? He didn't like binding himself to a promise, but it wasn't as if he didn't have other reasons to refrain from killing people. As boring as behaving could get, having to deal with the legal system would be more annoying.*

But regardless, I have no intention of killing any beyond this one. It's not quite as much fun when I have to worry about drawing attention to myself.

Say you promise, Albedo.

[He wants to hear those words. He doesn't like pushing anyone into a corner, but he can't let this go on.]

Fine then. I promise that there won't be a repeat of this incident.

*Careful, Ryu. Your 'uncle' may not have been in politics like his brother, but he still worked with contracts as a mercenary. He knows how to work loopholes, and that statement was a very large one.*

That's not what I meant, and you know it.

I can't give my word that I won't kill anyone else for the entirety of my stay here, you know. There are situations in which deadly force is the only way to secure a desirable outcome. You'll have to settle for a promise not to do so without a proper reason.

*As defined by him, of course.*

You thought this was a proper enough reason.

[He's not letting this go, sorry. :T]

Removing killing as a possibility altogether is out of the question, Ryu.

Yes, but what you see as good reasons don't seem like they tend to actually be good reasons.

And I suspect you would fail to acknowledge a good reason in your reluctance to allow any life to fade.

... All mortal life fades, Albedo. That's why they're called the Fading Ones. But to cut their thread short... it's not fair, and it's not right.

[His voice is soft and sad.]

*He hates thinking about that inevitability for mortals. Even though he's technically dead himself, the idea of certain people dying still hits hard. Especially since one of them has already died in front of him once.*

Since when was fairness something that had any sway over the world?

I know the world isn't fair. That doesn't mean we can't work to make it more fair. 'Every life is precious'... that's what Nina told me, and I believe it.

[Just... just don't call him out on the Yuna thing. That's an exception.]

Few are the men who think in such a way, in my experience. Shall I tell you how many lives the organization that sought to use me in the latter half of my life threw away for the sake of its own goals, without so much as a hint of remorse?

You don't have to act like them, though.

I act as I need to to accomplish my goals.

If that involves killing people, I can't let you do that.

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