Midnight Madness.

A wasted night train.

Looking up at the moon, clearly amused by it's warm light, yet cold appearance- he hunches forward, resting his elbows upon his knees and clasping his cheeks in his hands.

"So Bella, how long before you start your interrogation? I know you have so many questions ping-ponging in your head currently." Not breaking his gaze from the moon, he clearly can feel her confused, concerned expression drilling into the side of his head.

Catching herself staring, Bella replies: "Uh- oh, I apologize. I did not mean to stare, it's just... how come you appear and feel so human-yet... you are what you are." A bead of sweat forms on her forehead and gently rolls down the side of her face.

"We live in a world where humans are kettle, herded by apex predators at the heights of the chains. Being approached by those at the bottom of the food chain, helps the rest of the masses from the prideful Sphinxes to the helpless slaves of humans approach me for help." He turns his head softly to the side, shifting his gaze from the moon to meet her eyes. He gives her a soft smile, revealing a row of normal-looking pearly white teeth and unbelievably large, sharp fangs.

Bella, realizing his point, nods in understanding of what he said. She breaks eye contact to watch the arriving shimmering dark navy blue train in front of them. With golden details and pipes completing what is known as 'The night train as it lets out a loud 'tssss' it comes to a halt in front of the two.

With a very low hum, the automated doors slide open. A couple of passengers exit from the cart, as the newly formed partners hop into the first cart, which is sectioned into 3 different cabins. X reaches out slowly and holds the handle of the mid cabin door; suddenly, a very faint splash noise comes from under his foot, that instinctively steps forward to support his weight. As they both look down they see a pool of liquid faintly obscured by their shadows.

As the train door closes and the cart begins to move the liquid starts to slide to the back of the cart. X prises the door open to see a corpse lying on the middle of the floor the cabin.

"Huh." He looks down at the skinned face of what seems to be a man. "I distinctly remember that I didn't ask for a welcoming gift." He tilts his head as he gently lifts the flap of the man's jacket, where he notices a blood soaked piece of paper. Bella instinctively kneels down and starts to examine the body, "the killer had very steady hands, they knew their way around a blade. dissected the body, skinned the face off and removed both heart and brain. this was premeditated for sure."  with a raised eyebrow, X nods acknowledging her excellent deduction. She stays in deep thought trying to figure out how long the person has died.

X lifts up the note and raises it up to the dim light of the cabin, 'A subtle sight, a subtle light. it tics away, awaiting no one's rite. golden eyes, do you understands Chronos' might? Ashes to ashes, souls to souls. Remember the dark to dawn has ended in gore in sight.' Suddenly all the dark corners of the cabin grew ever closer, and an unbearable sense of wrath and dread emanating from X. A demonic afterimage of X sprouts out of his body, roaring in anguish and anger for a split second then seems to be pulled back into his body.

He pulls out a plastic bag from his pocket and places the note in it. Then seamlessly and as if nothing happened turns around and looks at Bella with the same bored expression.

"The damn bastards didn't even leave a snack, or a souvenir, but our basket part of the gift basket is definitely human." He traces his finger along side his skinless face. "And he felt every minute of this."

She immediately grabs X's arm and starts dragging him out of the cabin, and into another cabin as far away as they can be from the fresh crime scene. She curses under her breath as she notices the trail of blood their shoes have left.