[IC] The Mad Man and the Emerald (ChaoticEnigma)

[Soul Hunter]

The labs were full of people that day doing their usual business. In a container full of liquid and wires was a woman she didn’t looked very old but she had been there for what felt like years.
That day her eyes opened for the first time in ten years. She groaned a little and snapping suddenly she panicked and began drowning in the liquid; she tried to get out of the container her screams drowned by the water.
“Amazing, she’s actually woken up, after ten years” gasped the head scientist. They turned to see her panicking and trying to gasp for air in liquid.
They let her out and she coughed violently releasing her nakedness she quickly grabbed what was nearest, a cloak old and worn but it was better than nothing.

She gave a frustrated groan and stood up once more and stumbled escaping from their grasp she found herself on the streets and hesitating she just sat down in the alley way tired and weak she didn’t know what to do now. Feeling lost she closed her eyes and just tried to think letting pure instinct take over her mind and body.

She looked around and after a bit decided to look around. Her body stopped her though, she was far too tried, scared and she didn’t want to get taken back there. It was terrible; she had lost nearly all her entire life there, so far. She didn’t want to lose anymore, her arms and legs had bruises all over them, they hurt when she moved and she was petrified of this new place. She had to get used to everything, she knew bits and pieces, things she’d read in the book there ten years ago before she was put into that strange container.

She had short, black hair; a pair of dark green eyes that were very gentle at times; her skin was rather pale mostly from not being outside for a lot of her life. She jerked suddenly hearing the sirens, were they here to take her back there, she didn’t want to go back there, she’d rather just live her life here and starve than go back there, she pulled her knees up and hugged them tighter to her chest, wincing form all the bruises, they just never seemed to vanish. She buried her head and just tried to hide herself, to vanish away from any prying eyes, her heart and mind just racing as she shivered from the cold in the alley way and also from the fear of being taken back there.

[ChaoticEnigma]

Being a scientist was one thing, good always came of it, progress and so much more. But being a 'mad' scientist produced absolute brilliance in every which way possible. Koschei was his name, but he went by 'Enigma' within the office due being normally keeping to himself during his studies and only reporting to the head of the science lab. Honestly not much was known about the man himself, then again there wasn't much that needed to be known.

Enigma did his job, and he did it well, he'd been praised for his work in the past, even won their company name a few fundings to keep things moving. Even a man with such brilliance as him needed to get away from everything. All he did day in and day out was work, calculate, run tests, and check up on his experiments. For being a mystery, Enigma held the highest test subject rate in the entire building and always kept a very close watch on them all.

So why was it, during his walk outside of the perimeter did the man just have this overwhelming feel of dread, that something was going to go wrong. Well, more times than not, his gut instinct was always right. He'd been walking the streets of the city in the pitch black of night when his cellphone went off. Reaching into his pocket he answered it yet hearing the news he gave a heavy sigh "Alright, call off the search .. I'll find her. When I do I’m taking her to my personal lab at my home. I'll do my studies there. She's awake now and I have what is needed to keep her from escaping" not even waiting for a reply he hung up the call.

But instead of putting the phone back in his pocket he began to mess with the settings and frequencies. He'd installed a chip in his experiment's lower back. Sure enough he'd gotten a trace, virtually hooking his earpiece to the phone he headed off making it a 'casual' type stroll, following the signal toward his 'prey'. After a bit of traveling he stopped near an alleyway and looked the darkness. She was there, he was sure of it. 'Project Three Two Zero, she's here..' were his thoughts as he stepped toward into the alleyway, his boots crunching and sliding through the dampened littered concrete ground as he made his way toward the center of the Alleyway.

[Soul Hunter]

Mizuki lifted her head a little and looked around after having heard footsteps stop nearby blinking as her eyes adjusted to the darkness How long have I been here? she thought and looked around still terrified of so many thing that were unfamiliar to her however, when she did spot him at the end of the dark alley way something told her to run and so she did her best to get up and try to get away once more. Who wouldn't when their instinct told them to simply get away even though she had no idea where to go or what to do, she didn't even know about the chip in her lower back. Mizuki kept running terrified of what was to come and she was definitely determined.

She didn't get to far, she didn't have enough energy to get too far so ended up in an old house where she ended up finding somewhere to hide but at the same time somewhere to rest as her heart ached and thumped in her heart as if there was no tomorrow. She didn't recognise the strange man so of course her mind told her to run but something else about him had trigged that as well. She hid under one of the old bed like a child hiding from a nightmare her emerald eyes watching carefully from where she was, listening closely for any footsteps that came near where she was.

[ChaoticEnigma]

The test subject was quite smart, he had to give her that, evading capture, truly a brilliant .. girl. If he could still call her that. Enigma ceased in his steps and simply waited for her to travel a safe distance before making his way out of the alley. The tracker signaling her movement, it didn't take much time actually to locate the house she'd ran into. Stopping in front of it he looked up to it though hazel eyes, a smirk forming upon his lips. 'Oh how I love the hunt' perhaps it was the adrenaline he received from his heart racing at the thought of tracking her down like prey. Or perhaps in some twisted aspect of his mind this was a very satisfactory 'win' for him.

Regardless of what it was though, he enjoyed it, it set his teeth on edge in quite the pleasing way. Call him a sadist, or a psychopath. In all honestly, he was purely a Mad Man, brilliant of course, his mind was always at work, but he held smooth wickedness to him. Making his way up to the house, he picked at the lock and opened it. Making his way in, his eyes glanced about the place, the tracker in his ear signaling for him to head to venture further.



Enigma went about searching room to room until he came upon the bedroom. Now of course he didn't want to scare his 'prized' experiment, so he'd have to approach cautiously and with a bit kindness didn't hurt. He wasn't a daft man, he knew that she would pick the least conspicuous hiding place. Getting on his hands and knees he brought himself to glance underneath the bed toward her. "I know you're terrified" his voice calm "But you don't have to worry, I’m here to help you" he extended his hand out to her "I promise you, no one will harm you"

[Soul Hunter]

Mizuki watched each action he made with the utmost caution completely untrusting as he looked at her hidden beneath the bed having thought she'd picked out a good hiding place and wondering how he'd found her in the first place. She crawled out backwards from under the bed to get some distance between them, she was cautious and clever two traits that made her a very difficult experiment and now that she was older it would only be more difficult especially after having escaped that place. Her lack of speech was due to the decreased time of interaction that she'd had over the years, having had no real need to it was almost as though she'd forgotten most her words.

"Promise?" she muttered the alien word in her mouth mimicking it almost and frowned upon seeing his white coat and pointed to him "Bad…. white… coat… bad men" she said she was also very good at picking up details but had very little energy so could not run even if she wanted to. She'd already ran so far on foot and now this man in a white coat was there telling her no one will harm her, in her mind people in white coats were considered bad people, after all wouldn't you after being an experiment for so many years with not an ounce of kindness shown although tempting that white coat made alarm bells ring off in her ears like mad.

[ChaoticEnigma]

One thing that stuck out about the girl was that even before testing began she held quite the brilliance about her. Her brain waves were spectacular and Enigma fought hard to have her be his test subject for he knew she would be the perfect candidate. But here she was, before him, having already fled and now urging her brain for what knowledge she held of her past to speak. At first the man was puzzled, he thought he'd hid his white coat a bit better than that. His eyes momentarily glanced down at the coat then his hazel eyes lifted back to her. "I know you're frightened, my Dear" he took a step toward her "But I promise that 'no one' will hurt you" his voice as gentle as he could make it which was difficult for his voice was normally deep and smooth like a low rumble of thunder in a sense.

Enigma stepped near her slowly as he reached out and cupped her cheek "Come along, my sweet" his thumb gently caressed her cheek. Unbuttoning his black coat, he shrugged out of it as well as his white labcoat. Now in just a black oxford with his black slacks he tossed the white coat aside and neared her, sliding his trench coat around her shoulders. "you're safe with me, Mizuki" and with that, in one swift swoop he took her into his arms and exited the house. "Rest now, My Dear, I will not take you back to that bad place." Exiting the house, he ventured toward the building but instead of nearing it any further than the parking lot he placed her in his car and drove off.

Nearly an hour drive he pulled up to a mansion of sorts, it truly looked peaceful, not to mention expensive, but it was his home. Getting out of the car he rounded to her side and helped her out, his arm sliding around her waist as he helped her walk up the stairs and in through the front door. Once inside her scooped her up into his arms again and walked up the staircase to the second floor. It would not be the first time he brought a test subject home.

They'd passed several doors down the hall, all empty rooms, all locked of course, but the one room he did stop at was the most secure. Bulletproof windows, yes the room looked exquisite, it honestly had only been used once, yet that was nearly five years ago, since then a housemaid cleaned it regularly to keep it in its pristine condition. Typing in a number in the digital keypad the door opened and in he carried her. "Welcome to your new home, Mizuki" he slowly set her down.

[Soul Hunter]

Mizuki felt him picking her up at which point she had zoned out a little and cautiously watching him she noticed the lab coat having been tossed aside making her curious as to who he really was, she couldn't recognise him, she might be 19 years old now but back when she last saw him… she was rather young, so she couldn't remember him. She grew scared as they neared that building but was still a little shocked when she was put in the car and sorted herself out in the back finding the arms of the trench coat she pulled it on properly and quickly figured out how to do the buttons up, it was a little too big for her since she had to roll the sleeves up. During that hour drive she drifted off into a seemingly peaceful sleep only to be woken when the car stopped blinking a little she struggled to walk into the house even with his help and looked around in awe at the strange place.

"what… is.. this place?" she asked slowly remembering a few words as she looked around before he picked her up once again as they headed upstairs thinking she was going to fall this time she hung onto him a little and with each door passed she wondered what was behind each one but noticed they were all locked as well. Something seems…. off she thought and looked around still until she watched what he typed into the keypad easily remembering the code before they went inside sat which point she tried to get out of his arms although only ended up stumbling and sitting on the floor. Seeming unscathed though she looked around the place and got to her get slowly, the trench coat almost like a dress on her as she sat on the bed and examined the room carefully, cautiously. "Lock?" she questioned him asking about why the rooms all had locks on them.

Mizuki really was so very careful in his absence there hadn't bee many productive experiments on her and they weren't the best at maintaining subjects either hence why she was rather weak as well as being place in the liquid for such a long time didn't really help. She was still wondering what had just happened, her mind was trying to find a logical solution, looking to him he had the demeanour of one of the scientists that was for sure but he'd thrown aside his white coat so what had happened, what was really going on here? She waited for an answer to her question before she simply lay back on the bed and stared at the ceiling almost as if looking for something there she tried to focus her vision she really was tired.

[ChaoticEnigma]

Enigma's hazel eyes followed her every movement, he honestly could not help his observation. It was how he was, how his behaviors were instilled in him over the years of his seclusion and in his studies. When she moved to sit upon the bed his head slowly tilted to the side yet her single worded question caused a smile to form upon his lips. "The other rooms are locked due to not being in use, there is no purpose to having them unlocked, my dear" his statement spoken in a casual tone.

Stepping toward the closet he pulled the doors open. "You can find clothes to wear that should fit your petite frame" he glanced to her over his shoulder "and return my coat at the earliest convenience" he drew in a breath and turned toward her. "This is your new home, Mizuki, you're safe here" it seemed his compassionate side slipped a tad as he stepped toward her, a hand reaching out to cup her cheek as he gazed into her emerald green eyes. "Make yourself comfortable, I'll bring you some food soon" leaning in, the man's lips placed a kiss upon the top of her head.

Pulling from her, Enigma turned and headed for the door. Heading on out he shut it door and immediately worked at resetting the keypad's initial password to something more complex. Immediately the man headed down to the lower levels of his mansion, bringing up the holographic screen and began to work at the system to bring the cameras into full activation mode. She was his test subject after all. Once things were set in and recording her every move the man headed upstairs and toward the kitchen. It seemed one of his servants had taken it upon themselves to make food for the new addition to their home.

"You are to keep an eye on her when I'm in my lab" was Enigma's simple instruction as he took up the tray of food headed out of the kitchen and up the flight of stairs heading for her room. Inputting the new password he opened the door and closed it with his foot "Some food for you, My Dear" moving to a small table he laid the tray down and glanced toward her "I do hope you've found comfort"

[Soul Hunter]

Mizuki, after he'd gone got to work on finding something to wear looking in the wardrobe she pulled out a dress, it was simple to put on and she was far to tired to be bothered with buttons now but carefully took off his coat and the cloak she'd picked up before she pulled on the dress, it was a plain cream colour and was very simple in design. She looked out of the window and looked to everything that was there before she folded the coat up as best she could and put it on the end of her bed to give back to him, still unaware of who he really was.

She turned her attention, looking over her shoulder to him once he came in and simply nodded instead before she looked to the food on the small table and heading over she looked to it carefully as if trying to check for something before she began to eat it, she still and some manners it seemed although her actions were very clumsy. She thanked him with other alien words forming from her mouth "Thank you…" a small smile on her lap before she remembered his coat and then went over to get it before handing it to him in silence. "Who…are you? Name?" she asked remembering more and more words as she slowly got used to everything all over again.

Mizuki later on simply went to bed curling up under the blankets she was quickly asleep but it wasn't until the middle of the night did something appear to go wrong as she awakened in a panic and looked around her. She'd had what could only be described as a nightmare and looking around for something of comfort she looked to the door but found it didn't open making her frown before she went back to bed and hugged one of her pillows not really sleeping for the rest of the night.

[ChaoticEnigma]

There was no use holding back the façade any longer, this girl was his test subject, which meant she was clever, very clever. "You're welcome, my dear" he reached out to take a hold of the coat as she held it out to him. However her question reached his ears, "My name is Enigma" he said plain and simple. The man was well aware that even in Mizu's cryogenic sleep that she'd of heard that name a few times.

However, the man had made it a rule for his colleagues to label him as 'Sir' or 'Mister Saxon', which they did a good chunk of the time, but there were occurrences when his work name would slip. After giving her his name the man stayed staring to her "Get some rest, my Dear. It's been quite the day for you" without another word he turned and exited the room. Keying in the lock code before heading out for the night to get his files on Mizuki from the office.

~-~-~

Hours had passed and Enigma had returned, sitting in his office at home, going over some of her files . Distinct noises caused Koschei's eyes to avert from his paperwork to screen itself. Slowly closing the file he leaned forward with his elbow upon the desk, his head against his hand just watching every move. After an hour or so of studying her, it came to his realization that something spooked her. Perhaps clouded memories of past procedures done to her.

Honestly, if Koschei was a different man, a more compassionate man; he would let her go. But of course he wasn't. After he himself got a bit of rest, a shower and change of clothes, he headed toward Mizuki's room and keyed in the code before entering "Good Morning, My Sweet" he was more than certain she was utterly exhausted. "Oh my Dear…" he got a good look at her as he neared "you truly look exhausted... are you alright?" he questioned as he neared. Truthfully, he'd been arguing with himself for a good chunk of the night. Whether to let her become more acquainted with the place or simply start on tests.

At this current time, he was still struggling with himself mentally and figured he'd see how the morning went. Enigma crossed the space between himself and the young woman, reaching out cup her cheek as he leaned in inspecting her complexion, the look in her eyes. Truly, Enigma wasn't a completely evil man. He held a hint of respect for his test subjects, especially favored ones and Mizuki? Oh she was his top favorite.

[Soul Hunter]

Mizuki looked to him blankly she was defiantly tired and simply just wanted to try and get a little more sleep so hugged the pillow a little burying her face in it but knew the time had come to get up, she remembered hearing the name enigma along with Sir or Mr Saxon but she wondered why she'd heard his name there at all which had brought on more caution in her words and actions and it showed in the honest eyes she had. She was slowly beginning to become suspicious of the man named Enigma before her. She was indeed clever and even though she'd only had a little sleep, she still held the pillow to her as her eyes seemed to inspected him more closely now that she was feeling a little better than the previous day.

As he cupped her chin she moved a hand bringing his hand down a little as she looked to him closely and hearing his question she spoke "I'm alright, nightmares come and go… sleeping a long time, had a lot" she said to him having remembered a few more words as the effects of the cryogenic sleep wore off slowly. She watched carefully his actions now, she'd defiantly remembered his name being spoken there and pointed to him. "Bad man…" she said bluntly "Enigma… head of project… bad man" she said again. Her intelligence had finally kicked in as she figured out exactly who he was, the curious, intelligent an honest emerald orbs only showed that. But she'd only heard his name, she couldn't remember him in any of her nightmares so, what had he actually done as the head of such a project?

Mizuki watched him with caution as per usual and looked to the door, oh she was smart knowing she had no energy to escape again at the moment and at leas this place appeared pleasant but he still appeared as a problem. But her mind was still working out any better options and unfortunately this place was still her best option at this moment in time. "Why here? Why not back at labs?" she asked him again a frown on her lips. She wanted some answers now and certainly did not plan to do anything until she got them "Why test subject?" she asked "What happened when sleeping for long time?"

[ChaoticEnigma]

It truly seemed that her body was recovering quite well from having been in the cryogenic chamber, her recovery of not even a full day. It was amazing, truly amazing. The wondrous awe could be seen within his eyes as he looked down to her, a smirk forming upon his lips as she pushed his hand away. Yet as she spoke of nightmares, then accusing him of being a bad man a chuckle escaped his lips. "Oh my Sweet" were his words as he moved to lean against the wall.

Looking to her from a far as she began to question him. "I am not a bad man, far from it, my dear Mizuki. I'm the one that's kept you safe, making sure they never harmed you fatally" in a sense it was true. Enigma protected Mizuki. The scientists who worked under him would have done much more to her if he hadn't favored her. "You're unique, it was my favoritism that saved you. Truthfully, my dearest, you wouldn't be standing here alive and breathing if it wasn't for me. I fought for you and that's saying a lot because I don't do that often. I saw something within you that … is quite different and beautifully unique than all the others that were given to us to choose from"

Why was he being so honest? Well many things were at play there in the moment. As her next string of questions were thrown at him, Enigma drew in a breath and watched her closely "You're safer here. If I were to take you back, not even my favoritism would save you. I am not the head of the company; I am merely the top scientist at the establishment." He drew in another breath and slowly exhaled reaching up to rub his temple. "The establishment takes in those with little meaning of life in the world and the scientists, myself included run experiments to in a sense... enhance the being we're given… but enough" the man's tone changed a tad, a bit more on the agitated side. "No more questions.. You've gotten your answers."

Reaching up he rubbed his temples "I need to do a run of tests to see how your body is holding up after waking up from the cryogenic chamber. But not now" his mind raced "I will later on during the day" a knock on the door came which brought his gaze to avert to the door itself. Making his way to the door he opened it just a tad "Thank you, Aria" he whispered and took the tray of breakfast, the door closing behind him as he headed "Come, my dear, eat" he placed the tray of food down before glancing to her "I want you as comfortable as possible, my dear"

[Soul Hunter]

Mizuki listened to what she was told carefully, her blurred memories searching for answers in her own mind still afterwards. She frowned when he said no more questions although she was fairly satisfied with the answers she received she did not like the thought of more tests although she was more comfortable here than there the answers she'd been given now only confused her more as she accepted the breakfast in silence. She looked to him a moment before waiting for him it leave she checked her food as usual before she ate it. Afterwards she looked to the door a moment knowing it was locked. "Why so different here?' she muttered and looked around the room a little wanting something to do she searched around a little before finding a book. It seemed to have been misplaced so she looked through the book, it appeared to be a story.

She spent her time reading it figuring out the words all over again as she settled herself although she had other questions yet to be answered she was fairly quiet for the most part but soon she fell asleep again due to her exhaustion from her previous bad night of sleep. She did shift a little when the door was opened for any tests that were to be done but didn't appear to wake up at all, her mind still like that of a child in some ways as she'd fallen asleep half way through re-reading the book again. It really was just a simple book but ti was something to keep her entertained for the most part.

Mizuki had also found a pencil he'd dropped and knocking on her door she'd learnt that got the maid's attention and asked for some plain paper so she had also done a few sketches in that time as well as writing in her clumsy nearly unreadable hand writing. She had a great skill for drawing it seemed and had drawn a few things she'd remembered, she'd drawn her memories as if to ensure she wouldn't forget them but also drew a few other things such as the scenery outside the window.