The Long Way Home

[Nox]

Nox's hand was getting numb from the cold, though the mechanical one was fine, even with the ability to feel the cold and heat and the pressure now, it was barely registering. Partially because Nox told it not to bother him and his brain listened, though his real hand didn't quite do the same thing.

A man stopped behind him.

Before Nox could react the man's hand was on his ass and his foul smelling breath was curling down his neck. "Want a..." he started but Nox had the man on the ground, twisted arm with his mechanical hand to the point of almost breaking. A little tug and he could pull the joint out of the socket. His real hand clutched the gun that had been hidden at his back under the coat and pointed it at the man lying on the ground in the puddle.

"I am not in the mood. So get walking or I can put some lead in that lecherous smile of yours." His voice was empty of all emotion. There was no anger, no hatred. And at another time it might have been a welcome diversion but not tonight.

Nox let the man's arm go and watched him scramble up and head into the night looking for another to prey upon. If he was lucky he'd find some new place to hunt.

Nox turned back to the river the gun back under his puffy coat and his elbows resting on the rail staring out into the water. Time passed, the cold seeped in. He should head back but he didn't he stayed longer.

Another man stopped but he didn't approach. Nox spoke in the soft unemotional voice that had resulted from the severing of his power. "If you are looking for trouble or a piece of ass I'd suggestion walk...ing on." Nox turned as he spoke his hand reaching for the gun behind him until he was staring face to face with a man he knew. His words trailed off as he recognized the dominion, his friend, or former friend depending on how you looked at it. The last time he'd seen Jay they had fought in the arena at the Almaz. Not by choice.

As the realization dawned on Nox he took his hands from behind his back and held his arms our just a slight ways from his body with his palms facing Jay. He reached for the power but it was sadly still not there. There was a blip of fear, followed by a moment of relief before it all faded back into the numbness. A stray thought wiggled through his head. Maybe this is how it will end. It would be fitting that the person who was part of the reason his life blew up was the one to end it entirely.

"I can explain what happened that lead up to the events that went down the last time we saw each other. Or you can just beat the shit out of me again." Nox flicked the song playing to 'sacastic asshole' (Ashton had fun naming his work and telling Nox all about his personality in doing so) and said. "I'm open to either."