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The puddle that dripped off the table and onto the floor started moving by itself. It bubbled up and took the form of her signature little monsters, it's razor sharp teeth hanging out on display and drooling the same substance that it was made of. It's red blazing eyes stared up at Suto menacingly. It gave an abnormal hiss and readied itself to attack.

The creature saw him pulling something out of his pocket, and immediately lunged. Not soon enough, though.

Riyo screamed as the needle was jammed into her arm. Perhaps not out of pain as much as surprise, because up until then, she only saw her Mother. Not the scientist behind the hallucination. Her hand twitched for a moment, then fell limp at her side.

Just as the black beast was about to bite Suto's leg, it lost form and simply splashed him, as if it was just a drink somebody had carelessly spilled. All that remained of it was a black stain and an odd smell. It wasn't particularly offending or pleasant... It was just... Weird.

Riyo's pupils grew wide enough to almost cover her red iris's. She could feel her muscles losing their tenseness... And it was gone. The hallucination was gone. Her eyes sat dully on Suto. Not her Mother. Suto. She didn't really care what the hell he wanted. He was still better than her Mother.

"Red's a... pretty color." She mumbled, that bloodstain on his pants catching her eye again.

Suddenly the creature was there and then it was nothing but a stain on his pant leg. That had certainly worked better than planned. Suto's face fell expressionless as he looked to the liquid that had once been alive and wondered if he could salvage any of it for study. Walking to the cabinets quickly he grabbed a vial and made an attempt to get a sample before corking it off. It would certainly be interesting to see what tales this little sample would weave if it proved to be valuable.

When Riyo spoke up Suto directed his attention back to her, placing the vial in his pocket. A smile, much softer than the one he usually wore, crossed his features as he stepped a bit closer. "Yes, red is quite a beautiful color. The body is a vessel that traps this brilliant color and I so enjoy setting it free." Turning the scalpel idly in his hand he set it aside for the time being. Now was not the time. While the girl was out of it he really had only an hour of which to get a collar on her before any more hiccups occurred. "You'll have to pardon me, my dear. I must leave shortly to attend to some business. I will be back as quick as can be and we can continue our little bonding moment then." Bonding to him apparently meant nearly being attacked by a liquid cat creature.

A quick change of clothes later and Suto was off to the main lab. He had dropped off the vial to be tested so now it was time to see if there were any results before going back.

"So what is the news?" Suto asked as he thrust the door open.

A weaselly looking man looked up from his microscope pushing his glasses back up his nose. He shook his head lightly knowing Suto wasn't going to like the news. "T...there's really not enough to test. T...the best I can tell is that it's something like a parasitic organism but its hard to say."

"Hmm," Suto was thoughtful as he approached tapping his chin lightly. "Well, I suppose I will have to get a better sample. In the mean time I need you to check in on the young lad in the smaller lab down the hall. If possible I need him moved to cell block C-5."

"Aren't the rooms there rather cold?"

Suto's eyebrows raised in question as he looked at the lab tech. Was this pitiful little creature questioning what he was telling him. "Yes, as a matter of fact they are very much like an ice box. Is there a problem?" His voice dared the man to question him.

"N...no," Tiding up his work space the man put the microscope aside. He was just about to leave before Suto stopped him.

"Wait a moment, you will need something." Suto looked about his desk before coming across the item in question that he wanted. Careful not to touch it he lifted a necklace up with a large pair of tweezers, an amulet dangled at the bottom of the chain. There didn't seem to be anything special about it but he held it out for the worker to take. "Give this to the boy and tell me what happens in detail."

Nervous the man came back though he wasn't sure if he wanted to take the item or not. Why was Suto afraid to touch it? Seeing the man hesitate, Suto gave a sigh.

"We don't have all day."

Shaky hands raised from the lab tech's side as he held them under the necklace. He drew in an unsteady breath as he awaited the worst but when the necklace dropped into his palm nothing happened. Letting out the breath he had held the tech was glad he hadn't squealed. Its what he had wanted to do.

"Alright, move along!" Suto barked putting the tweezers away in his fresh white lab coat.

"Y...yes sir!" Quickly the tech took his leave clutching the necklace in his hands. Out the door and down the hall he found himself in front of the smaller lab doors all too soon. With a gulp he produced his keycard and unlocked the door. Slowly he pushed the door open and peeked inside.

Smiling now that the tech was gone Suto began to look for something else that he needed. He had conveniently left out the information about the boy's fire ability. Shouldn't be too large of a problem but what was one toasty tech? Besides, if the boy managed to escape he could possibly lead him to other prime subjects. Opening a desk drawer Suto pulled out a metal collar. Sleek in design but very useful for suppressing magic. Taking the key for it as well he headed back toward the holding room where Riyo awaited his return.

In total he was gone for no more than twenty minutes, quite enough time to spare before the sedative wore off. With a quick swipe of his keycard Suto pushed the door open and looked to Riyo where she still lay. "I have returned, my pet." Closing the door behind himself he placed the key in the collar to lock it. With a click it popped open like a claw waiting to wrap around its victim.

(These are the same collars the slave traders used. I'm sure you knew but just encase.)

Riyo's eyes reopened just in time to see that collar open. She remembered that collar. "N-no... Please don't put that on me." She pleaded, her eyes both beaming fear and shock. "It hurts so much..."

She was shivering. Not only from the cold, but from the sight of that collar. The chains made a soft rattling sound with no particular pattern to the noise.

Rolling his eyes at the answer, Blade mumbled something inaudible under his breath. Why anyone would want to work for the freak of a doctor was beyond him, but the somewhat timid nature of the labtech gave a hint on why it might be the case.

With narrowed eyes he watched the man approach, taking note of the amulet he held. The thief raised an eyebrow and was about to ask why he was being given a necklace when it was dropped onto his chest. Letting out a shout of both surprise and anguish, he immediately tensed up again. The area where the amulet contacted him caused an intense pain, but there were no visible indicators that anything was happening. There was no smoke and his body was unharmed, yet hurt like hell.

Blade writhed, partially in agony and partially to try and get the necklace off of his body. He didn't know why it was causing him so much pain, but he was fairly certain it was the the source.

As if he could read her mind, Suto smiled as he took a seat. "Well, it seems you will have to work extra hard to keep everything under control."

When she started to recount her story in the slave trader city Suto listened quietly. That is where he had gotten news of the group for the first time in so long from a source who was currently in the area. They had spotted a girl who matched Mitsu's description as well as the group Shun had described to him. It was interesting to see how these things played out. For the longest time there were only rumors, small glances but no real trail and suddenly they were under his nose.

If they had only stayed in that little city a bit longer he would have had them all. That was were he got quite a few of his subjects. No one ever came looking for a slave. Come to think of it, someone had mentioned a large black creature, something like a bear but thin and lanky, mouth full of teeth. It had ended one of the slave trader's lives shortly before it disappeared. Could it be? She had been worried she had killed her friends. It would be far too easy to just lead her on. Let her draw her own conclusions, destroy her own little world of hope, and then he would be there to pick up the pieces. It had been so easy with Mitsu though she had only been a child of four when he first encountered her. Maybe this girl would be no different and then he would have a new pet. Though he didn't create her he would certainly enjoy using her.

"Why would you need to ask what happened," Suto paused as he leaned back. "When you already know what did. I wager its the same now. You may have doubts about it but you truly know. You fear the truth of the matter and may not want to face it but deep in that heart of yours," Suto took to leaning forward again getting closer to Riyo's face so that he could see the subtle changes in her expression. "A heart very much like my own, you know what happened. You're saddened by their loss but something about it also thrills you. Their fears, their cries of pain, the blood. It makes your heart thunder against your chest in excitement." The smile he wore stretched across his face and threatened to climb all the way to his ears. "Try to deny it but there is a monster inside of you begging to get out. But never fear, my pet, for the world is not lost. I am here and I understand you."

Bringing up a gentle hand he stroked it along Riyo's face, enjoying the feel of her skin. "Here is the world you belong to my dear, Riyo. A world of pain, suffering, and anguish. Because here you are safe, you are understood, you are excepted. Out there you are a monster something to be feared and killed. It is far better for you and all those who reside in the world beyond these walls if you stay here."

(Blade = physical torture while Riyo = mental torture....it all evens out XD; )

"By the gods!" The lab tech screamed at the top of his lungs. He practically threw himself against the wall to keep as far away from Blade as possible. What the hell was happening? What was it doing to him? When he had touched it nothing had happened, though he certainly expected it to. What was he supposed to do now? Suto had wanted the boy to be moved but how was he going to get close to him now? Maybe he should go get help? But what if the pain the boy was in killed him in the mean time? Suto would surely be angry.

Taking an unsteady step forward the tech reached out a hand at arms length trying to keep his distance. Once he was close enough to Blade he tried to snatch the item back, hoping that nothing bad would happen now.