Snippet #876977

Crip exhaled when Leon lowered the rifle. He hadn't realized he'd been holding his breath and the cliche wasn't lost on him, either. He was just focusing on the other man's hands from a long ways away. And I know what you're asking: "Why didn't Crip just teleport out of there as soon as Leon looked at him and picked his rifle up?" Well that's because Leon never reached for the safety. If he had been planning on shooting Crip, he would have switched the safety off. And believe me, Crip would have been gone long before that switch was even hit, had Leon's hand made even the merest twitch in that direction. But as it was, Crip was curious and he was going to stay so long as it wasn't going to get him shot.

But what now? The position was compromised and he was just hanging around like a creeper. Not that that wasn't exactly what he was doing, nor a fit description of him in general; he just didn't like looking like one. "I should kill someone...No...well...no, probably not..." he grumbled to himself. He could kill pretty much anyone at pretty much any time, he just, well, didn't. All he had to to was teleport something into their skull and poof, beasty food fresh for the pickin's. But he wanted to show people what life was really like; that was hard if they were dead. Just a little. Maiming, on the other hand. Maiming, he was okay with. Crip had a personal philosophy that said, "Everybody should be maimed at least once in their life." and an amendment that said, "but the more the merrier." He followed his philosophies as best he could without being shot.....too often.

"I could maim someone..." the thought, again, escaping his lips: a habit born from too many hours spent alone. "...but who?" He scanned the room again. The unloaders were now here. The ones with the garage Crip sometimes got "supplies" from. "Supplies", unlike supplies, did things the general public would usually prefer not to happen. The other difference between "supplies" and supplies is that Crip actually payed for "supplies". There was no point in making the whole world hate you, after all. Parts of it are more likely to kill you than others.

Most of the newcomers were off the ship now too. A dark haired girl (Ebony) was next, with Keeley keeping a close eye on her from behind. That either meant that this girl needed special attention or was simply the last one off the ship. The girl paused for a long time, just staring blankly and looking lost. "Alright, she's either dumb-" which is really rare even in the failures of the perfect human project "-or she's still really naive." Crip wasn't a fan of either type, but at least the more likely of the two was something he could remedy if he stuck with it long enough. She would be a good target for a long term venture. I could follow her around making sure she never forgets where she is and how she got here. It would be easy to find out-- "Dammit, you crippled old man!" Crip interrupted his own thoughts. "If you're going to do something, stop thinking about it and do it!" Crip stood up and grabbed the two steel pipes that held up his light. This was the final reason he liked this spot; he always had an emergency plan.

Concentrating his energy into about four feet of the pipe in his right hand and about one foot of the pipe in his left, he "jumped" to the ramp below, taking those segments with him. In a fraction of a fraction of a second, Crip was behind the girl. He swung the four foot length of pipe down on her head in a spot that usually left victims extremely disoriented, but not unconscious or dead. That was the state Crip wanted her in. He had no idea what she was capable of, but in that state, she'd hardly be capable of anything more than hearing him speak. He caught her with the other arm before she could fall. Dipping it under her arm and up across her chest to support her weight, he pulled her back against his chest so he could easily move her while leaving his other arm free. That way, his left hand was also by her neck and he pressed the foot long piece of steel held in it against the side of her neck hard enough that the jagged tip drew blood. Crip turned his head just in time to see the light he'd been standing on hit the ramp behind him. It exploded in a shower of sparks and flame, completely blocking the ramp up to the passenger level of the ship with burning wreckage and effectively walling off Keeley, Ebony and Crip from everyone else, unless there was still someone hiding on the ship. That was perfect. Crip danced sideways a few steps, still clutching the girl. He put her between himself and Keeley, with the short "blade" still pressed to her neck and the longer weapon extended past her at Keeley, just in case. The wreckage was now behind him so the thick smoke blocked out any chance of outside interference. Hopefully Leon wouldn't risk shooting what he couldn't see.

"Now, girl," Crip put his lips to the girls ear and spoke quietly. He was speaking to her, but his eyes were dancing around in his head watching everything. "I'm not going to kill you. Not because I can't," he twisted the jagged pipe a little farther into her neck as evidence. "but rather, because I don't want to. You see, I'm not a murderer, but more of a....a teacher; I promise." The way he said "teacher" was more than a bit sadistic and there was something about the way he said "promise" that made it believable, despite any hint of warmth. "A teacher of Life. What it is and how to survive it. Because you, my dear sweet girl, have been lied to." he went on in tones lathered with mocking pity. "Did they tell you about going to Hell when you die? Oh no no no! Death is the escape from Hell. Don't believe me? Look at all the demons around you here; look at the demons that sent you here. Life is Hell, little girl. You're living it...."

((Alright, Crip's not done talking, but a lot just happened in a very short amount of time and I'm sure everyone is reacting, so have at it. xD ))