She swallowed again and handed him the small slip of paper from her pocket with the address when they reached outside.

"We can stay at this address. I talked to one of the head people there." She suggested as they turned down the street and walked with the crowd toward the plethora of open bars and clubs. It seemed a busy part of town. "Or there is another place called the Sanctuary." She sighed. "Though, I stayed there once. It had mu... people like us and normal humans, but probably after the registration stuff the humans wouldn't be around anymore."

She shrugged. "Other than that I am as lost as you are in this town." She was starting to relax now that they seemed clear from the hotel.

He looked down e handed it to him. As soon as he seen the address part of him urged him to tell her alright. But yet there was part of him that vehemotely rejected it. He handed her back the paper and shook his head. His eyes went cold as he just stared into hers.

"You can stay there. Or you can go to the sanctuary. I do not want to be around others... be they human or mutant. It wouldn't be safe either way. If you wish to go there then by all means I will go with you as far as the door. I have enough money I will stay in a hotel. I have enough for the both of us. We can get two rooms if you wish. This money can last atleast a week in a hotel plus food and a few other expenses."

His voice wasn't angry nor was it rude. It just was. It came out as hard as his gaze stared at her. After a moment his eyes went back to their normal way. He smiled lightly and let his hand slip from her other.

"I don't think we need to hold hands now... unless your afraid you'll lose me before I get you to whereever it is you wish to stay."

"Ah!" She dropped his hand like it was the plague. "Sorry.. I just.. uhm... right." Somethings he mentioned seemed to confuse her She stuck the paper in her pocket and folded her arms across her stomach.

"I won't even ask where you got the money." She commented. "But.. haven't you ever thought that you need to be around others?" She seemed very interested in the neon lights and windows they walked past. "I don't know you very well and obviously we dont' know everything about each other or.. even ourselves but... Why do you say you're dangerous?" She knew why he was dangerous... she wanted to know why he thought he was dangerous.

He watched her remove his hand from his so quickly it was almost comical. His eyes watched her as she watched the surrounding. A slight smile danced over his lips as he watched her. Then he heard her questions and he shrugged as he walked next to her.

"Your right we don't but we can learn. Why would I need to be around others? I have raised myself in the mountains since just a few years ago. There is no reason I need to be around others now. I mean look at what happened to all of those that were around others. They got sent to camps where as I left the country safely. Only bad things happen when you stick around to many others at once."

He reached into his pocket even as he spoke to her. Her last question was a much stranger one to answer. He wasnt even sure how to pu tinto words what he had found. He just shrugged and pulled the human tongue and animal teeth from his pocket and held it out for her and anyone else that looked to see.

"As for the dangerous part. Obviously when I black out I don't just lay there. The tongue could only be a humans. By the look of it it was cut out of a mouth while the person was still alive. And if I do that and I'm capable of killing animals such as the ones these teeth belong to... then I must be dangerous."

He spoke of this as if it was nothing else then knitting or ironing. Just something that he was capable of even if he didn't know he was doing things like this. HIs eyes watched her for a reaction. He knew as soon as he pulled these out he would be taking her to one of the places and leaving for somewhere else to sleep the night away.

"I found them in a pocket in the clothing in my bag. I found the hidden compartment a long time ago and now again I check it to see what is in there. I just wonder why I cut out a persons tongue. I was hoping you could answer this for me. You haven't ran away from me even though you could have when I was in the shower. I think its about time you told me what happened."

"Only bad things happen when you stick around too many others at once." Maya held herself tighter at his words. He was answering honestly enough. Hadn't she almost gotten her friend's in town shot once? But maybe that was just New York.

"You can't skip all the chances at something good happening just because something bad could happen too." She commented quietly.

When he reached into his pocket she looked over curiously, but she had not been expecting to see that.

"As for the dangerous part. Obviously when I black out I don't just lay there..." He went on and she was only half listening. Her other half was freaking out and internally scolding herself at the same time. He wasn't stupid. Why had she thought him stupid or ignorant of what was going on? He had obviously seen some physical clues that made him realize that... he wasn't alone. She felt so silly as she realized it for herself. He didn't feel lonely. He had enough personalities to keep him company for some time.

"...You haven't ran away from me even though you could have when I was in the shower. I think its about time you told me what happened."

She just shook her head at first. She promised... but... "God, can't you put that thing away?" On impulse she snatched the tongue from his hand, unfortunately it was the only thing that she was able to grab before he closed his hand. She tried not to think about what was now clutched tightly in small grip... about what it took for him to get it. Maya stepped adeptly around a corner, her other hand shooting out to grab Otieno's sleeve and guide him to follow. She stood just far enough back into the mouth of the space between buildings that she thought the main throng of people would not be able to hear.

"Is this why you were so quiet, Goth?" She was speaking at Otieno, searching his eyes, but she was obviously demandingly speaking to someone named Goth.

"Is that what you were doing...!? Why you...? When you..." Her face twisted into something close to self loathing. She was ... hurt? angry? It was probably a volatile mix between the two. This is why she hadn't wanted herself to trust him. But it was another reason why she didn't want to leave him on his own either. She wasn't about to let him go get a replacement if she tossed it down the sewer.

As she looked into his eyes a slight smile curved his lips. His eyes shone darkly for a moment as he stared back into her own. He could feel his lips moving but for some reason he couldn't make them say what he wanted. It was as if someone else was speaking.

"Aye dollface. Like? You can keep that one."

Then as if he couldn't control himself he leaned forward and let his lips touch her own. It was only for a second before he pushed himself back. He wasn't even sure if he gave her enough time to react let alone push him away herself. The dark shine was gone and felt weird. His head ached. Not as bad as when he blacked out but almost. It hurt so bad it wasn't funny. But for some reason he knew something.

"I don't... I didn't That wasn't me!", just looking at her he knew she knew though. Knew she had to have known. But she was confused too. She hadn't known he had done this. Was it him that did it? He didn't know.

He looked at her for a long moment. He could barely hear himself speak, "If you didn't know... then... how many? Dumb question. No wonder it felt like I was splitting. It wasnt just a term... i literally had a splitting headache when i blacked out... do they... do they look like me?"

He stood there only a second, "Nevermind. Don't answer that. Just... go to your address."

His voice once again wasn't one of anger nor was it one of kindness it just was. and started to walk down the street again. He was confused. Well not really confused. It all made sense. But what he did realize just then... was he couldnt trust himself. He couldn't trust he wouldn't hurt her or anyone else. If she knew what was good for her she would walk away now. He couldnt even look back in fear he would encourage her to come. He wanted her to. He wanted to hold her and cry. He had killed atleast one man. He had... done things no man should ever do. He... could hurt her next.

She saw the expression of his eyes change drastically. Her heart beat audibly sped up, at least it felt like everyone could hear it.

"Aye dollface. Like? You can keep that one."

She nearly threw the tongue at him, but it wasn't Goth. Otieno wasn't Goth. She had to believe that he was both Goth and Christian and that meant that he could chose to be good.

Then he kissed her. He looked just as shocked as she did, but she pushed him back with all her might. It took everything to keep her from slapping him with his own tongue. She had baited Goth, it was true. He could have done worse, but she felt betrayed all the same.

"I don't... I didn't That wasn't me!" He sputtered.

"Yeah well, at least now you know." She hadn't meant for her words to sound so acidic. They stood and looked at each other and a long silent moment passed between them before he spoke quietly.

"If you didn't know... then... how many? Dumb question. No wonder it felt like I was splitting. It wasnt just a term... i literally had a splitting headache when i blacked out... do they... do they look like me?"

She opened her mouth to answer, but he immediately interrupted her.

"Nevermind. Don't answer that. Just... go to your address." and he took off... like she was just going to leave him alone when he gave her a tongue and a kiss. Both were unwanted and neither were in conjunction with the other. Besides... now he knew. She didn't want to leave him alone with them.

"You can come with me! They train people like us!" She called out after him. She was stupid. She was a stupid girl and she just wanted something to work out for once. She ran after him and she put the rubbery, moist tongue in her pocket next to the address. She would ditch it if she didn't think that it still might have use for her.

She caught up with him and stubbornly looped her arm in his. "You are a stupid boy and I ..." She sighed dramatically. "I am a very, very stupid girl. You will not kill me." She said it with conviction. "You may have a scary side, but you also have a choice." She looked at him meaningfully.

"Like hell if you are getting rid of me."

For some reason when she put her arm in his it wasnt as comforting as he had hoped it would be. Instead he felt disgust. Even as she told him she wasn't going anywhere he knew otherwise. He turned on her. His eyes were normal but his voice held a hard edge.

"Your right. I do have a choice. What if I decide I like the freedom that I have by choosing the side that obviously part of me travels. What if somewhere deep inside of me I secretly always knew what was happening and enjoyed the rush. What if I somewhere deep inside of me i knew what I was doing and I loved it. We are Gods. We can give life and we can easily take it. Humans and mutants alike. What kind of person would give up being a God! Can you even imagine the thrill you would fill if you embraced the darker side thats in everyone? The only reason that people don't embrace this is because of social norms. It is wrong to kill another because society frowns upon it. Because it is wrong to take anothers life. What if thats the path I want to walk! Are you still going to walk it with me? Are you going to come with me as I slide a blade through the ribs of another? Are you going to watch and not try and stop me? I don't think you will... For all either of us knows... thats where I could be going now."

His words were almost spit out as if they were venom. He didn't mean a single word he said though you couldn't tell by looking at him. His face was red and his hands shook visibily. She didn't understand what it was she was hoping to do. He knew that all men had this same choice... but not all men had a war happening in their minds. Nor did they have to worry about their bodies spazming and not being able to control it. That had been the first time t had happened but what said it was the last?

"You go. Go to your trainers. They wouldn't be able to help me. Noone could. Noone but myself. You can try all you want to save me from myself but in the end we both know... only I can do that. And honestly... I don't know if I want to. Hurting other people just feels to damn good."

He felt vile rising in his throat. His stomache was churning and he lamost dropped to his knees. Part of him was disgusting at how he was handling this... but the other half. It was enjoying the show. Adding litle things for him to say. It didn't matter if he had the help or not. He knew he could drive her away. If not not then eventually. He would do what it took to make her safe from him.

That was the only thing Goth didn't approve of. He loved this show but he didn't want the girl to go. He wanted to have fun with her. Not let her run away. She knew what he had done. She could tell someone. He had to silence her.

Christian on the other hand was also feeding him things to say. Sometimes you had to push someone away to ensure their safety. Goth was just watching the show for the most part but christian was feeding the fuel. Feeding otieno things that would push her farther away. He needed to get her away before he lost all ability to help Otieno. He could feel the shift happening and knew he had to push her away fast. He just hoped she would forgive him and otieno both once he had helped the child onto the right path again.

She listened patiently to what he was essentially shouting at her. But she had already made her decision and at times she could be stubborn.

He said things that she decided she wasn't going to believe. She believed that people, no matter what dark and twisty things they often let themselves do, were essentially good. She wasn't about to go into the philosophical reasons of why people don't usually kill people. For one thing, philosophy usually made her want to preform some combination of screaming, strangling, and/or crying. For another reason, she could tell that he wasn't about to be persuaded. Not if he had made his mind up for the time being.

She let him ramble about how bad he was. How he was off to go kill people and how she should go because she obviously wasn't going to help him kill people. She didn't believe that either. He had physically become ill because of what Goth had gone off and done on his own.

"You done?"

She waited to make sure. That was quite a rant.

Somewhere in his rant he had extricated his arm from her firm grasp and so she folded her arms easily behind her head. "Because it's my choice too. Who says I want to go see those people anyway? I'm not the one with control issues. I just need a place to stay, and you seem to have come into some money."

He looked like he wanted to say something, but she went on anyway. "No. Now you listen to me. You're scared because you don't trust you, and maybe you're right not to. But doesn't that mean that you should rely on someone you can trust?" She paused processing things. She wasn't the best speaker or convincer, but she believed that she understood the situation enough to know she was doing what she thought was best.

"You're right. I wouldn't stand back and let you hurt someone, but I don't think that all of you really wants to do something like that so until you stop running away and decide what you want to do..." She trailed off. He didn't respond to the threat thing, but she didn't want Goth walking the streets just because some guy was too stubborn to accept help when he obviously needed some. "I can at least help you not do something that maybe you'd regret - let me stay until you figure things out."

As long as she was within close range and her opponent had to breathe, she was rather adept at making people pass out. She was also rather adept at running away when the time called for it. She felt confident enough that she could get out of most every situation if things got bad.

he audibly sighed as he just stared at her. Then a sly smile slipped onto his lips as something came to his mind.

"Aw thats kinda sweet. I didn't realize you cared about me so deeply already."

Obviously it wasn't just Otieno speaking. The smile slipped away and he just stared into her eyes. She knew what she was doing. Atleast that made one of them.

"Fine. Come with me if you want. But if your coming then lets go to that place of yours. Atleast then I wont have to worry about hurting you. Noone there would let me."

He pulled the money from his pocket then and held out half of it, "Half is yours anyway. If you don't want to accept it then let me buy that thing in your pocket. At the least let me wear it as a reminder. A reminder of what I could possibly do."

he wanted it for that... and for some reason it was like a sick trophy. He had won that and he wanted it. It really would be to big of a hassel to get another. Though he would if he needed to, he already knew that. He liked it and nothing would stop him from having one around his neck.

She frowned. She didn't care about him, right? She... she cared about him not murdering people... that was something to care about.

Their eyes met and for some reason she wasn't happy. It seems with Otieno she couldn't just tackle one problem at a time. She shook her head.

She was surprised that he came around so fast. She had been mentally preparing for a long winded rebuttal and maybe some kicking and screaming. Instead he pulled a wad of money from his pocket and separated it into two chunks. "Half is yours anyway. If you don't want to accept it then let me buy that thing in your pocket. At the least let me wear it as a reminder. A reminder of what I could possibly do."

She plucked the few crumpled bills out from the annoying crisp ones - those had previously been hers anyway... not that she had earned it or that it was enough to buy anything in this town. "That's all I need. Little girls like me shouldn't carry around cash like that anyway." She gave him a sly look. "I might get mugged, you know."

She was stalling to try to think of an answer about the tongue. She was wary to give back to him, but if he was offering to go with her to the school. That was a major step in the right direction in her book so maybe he was allowed some... macabre reminders.

She grimaced. "You'll really come with me? To the school?" She looked him over. She looked in his eyes, searched his face for any fraction of a lie. After a moment she seemed satisfied with whatever she saw there and reluctantly fished around in her pocket. She grabbed the rubbery muscle and hastily plopped it into his awaiting hand.

"Can we take a cab?" She tried to keep her excitement in check. Taking a New York cab was on her mental list of tourist-y things she had wanted to do.

He put the money back into his pocket and shrugged, "Fine. Ill hold onto your half. Just tell me when you want it. As for the school. Yes I will go with you there but do not get me wrong. I am only going with you to make you happy. If you are determined to stay with me then I know no other place that we could be together and still have you safe. But do not for one minute even start thinking I will be going to learn or be taught about my powers. I doubt any have my powers there so what could they possibly teach me. Anyway... yes... we can take a cab. I don't know how to get there and I doubt you do either so a cab would be the best bet."

As he started towards the street to get a cab he put the tongue back onto the necklace it was on earlier and tied it around his neck and then tucked it into his shirt.

He held his hand out to get a cab and a few passed him without stopping. He looked over at her and then nodded for her to come over.

"Your a girl. You'll have better luck. I doubt many people want to pick up a guy though I bet a good number might want a chick as a passenger. Besides. You wanna ride in one. You seemed kinda excited about it. Shouldn't you get it for us? Part of the experience."

"aww... you're so sweet for wanting to make me happy." She had meant that to sound more sincere, but it came out sounding rather sassy.

She stood next to him on the street for a moment to no avail... She was wearing a teeshirt and jeans and had a boy-ish short haircut. She was entirely too feminine to be a boy, but she wasn't exactly a show stopper. She started to get frustrated so she stepped out farther into the street, practically close enough to get her toes rolled over and held out her hand.

As soon as she spied another taxi she put her fingers in the mouth and let out a shrill whistle. The taxi stopped.

"'bout time" She muttered as she grabbed the handle and waited for Otieno to get in the cab first. She may have been the lady, but she didn't trust him not to run away. Once they were settled inside she read the address to the cabbie. He didn't seem pleased - it seemed like it was rather far.

"You sure you can afford this ride, lil lady?"

He looked at the cab driver only a moment as he growled out lightly, "She told you damn address now drive us there. Do you question all your fares or did you just decide she looks easy to pick on."

Hiw voice came out as cold as steel and he just stared at the cab driver until the man started to drive. He was out of patience for today. He just wanted to get her to this place so that he could make sure she would be safe.

His eyes slowly turned to her as they rode in the back. He wasn't sure why she was so stuck on not leaving his side. Part of him felt a little tingle of... something inside. But as always the whole thought of something good always also made him feel like vomitting. He rode in silence. His stare slowly shifted from her to the buildings as they passed. He didn't know what to say now nor did he know how to say what he might want to say.

"Geez... I'm just..." He stopped to look at the growly one and decided to hold his tongue. He studiously payed attention to the road instead of his usual attempt at conversation.

Maya's full attention was out the window. She may hate elevators and enclosed spaces, but she loved fast rides and all they entailed: fast turns, near misses, the wind in your hair and your heart in your throat. She was all but ecstatic while they were in the city, but once they pulled out of the fierce traffic and into a more open space the excitement died.

"How much further?" She asked the guy beyond the plexiglass.

"'bout two minutes more, princess." She sat back in her seat with a somewhat satisfied smile and noticed Otieno looking at her.

"What?" She asked skeptically.