``I Won't Die of Deception, {Jax!} {Complete!}

[Ruby]

Really, the conditions that some humans lived in were just...disgusting. Ruby had seen worse, but that didn't make this particularly run-down part of New York City any more appealing. Unfortunately for her, it was absolutely necessary to pay this part of town a little visit - if only for today. She peered out her car window, glancing up and down the street for any sign of a few of those thugs from one of the gangs known to run these streets. If any of them spotted her, they'd no doubt try to start trouble. On one hand, Ruby practically snarled at the thought - and would have loved to rip any one of them apart - but on the other hand, pretending to be helpless and playing the damsel in distress could prove to be potentially useful in this particular situation. As tough and gritty as he was, she knew the man she was looking for had a bit of a...'hero streak'. Of course in good time, she'd be able to change all of that with any luck, but for now...

The demoness shook her head, smirking slightly. This 'Jax' character was someone she'd heard quite a bit about during her little ventures through New York. In fact, he seemed to have become rather infamous of late. Apparently he was a meta-human of some sort, one with a frighteningly powerful ability: he was capable of manipulating metal. No doubt if channeled properly, it could prove to be wonderfully destructive...much like Sam's ability had been...but at the thought, Ruby narrowed her eyes and instantly shut down any (completely nonexistant. totally) emotional response that might have triggered. There was no comparison here - because this wasn't going to end up the way it had been with Sam. This time, she was going to focus on this mission: and only on the mission. She wasn't going to get attached. She wasn't going to be stupid. This time, she was going to think things through a lot more carefully...

And the first step involved in that had been following Jax for the past several days, learning his routine, watching his typical responses to everyday situation. In a few moments, he should've been heading down this exact street if her careful calculations were correct. Today, however, was going to be different from the past several days. Today, Ruby had planned to make her first move. Tapping her fingers gently against the steering wheel of her car, she turned to look out the windshield and fixed her gaze determinedly on the hood of the car. A few careful moments of concentration, telekinetically shifting things out of place, and....that should do it. Ruby smirked, ever so briefly, and then shifted her expression back to one that was carefully neutral as she turned the key in the ignition. The car shuddered and groaned almost painfully, obstinately refusing to actually start - perfect.

She tried it again - and then once more, just for good measure, then rolled her eyes and slammed her hands down against the wheel in apparent frustration. Turning to glare out the window, Ruby bit her lip slightly as if she were weighing her options. Then, with a brief sigh, the demoness pushed open the car door, carefully stepped out, and walked around to the front of the vehicle. Her face a mask of easily read frustration, she brushed a few dark strands of hair out of her face and made a slight struggle of lifting the hood of her car and gazing tentatively inside.

[Jax]

Jax rode the roads, speeding past cars as they blared obnoxious rap music, music pumping bass substituting noise for meaning. He knew in this world most would consider his music as nose but his at least meant something. It wasn't about just another shooting, another shooting up, another whore in bed. It was about a way to live life, a way to freedom... sure that freedom involved rage a lot of times but through anger Jax had found freedom and maybe meaning. Perhaps purpose of meaning. Metal... The Earth's Bones. And... being a mage. It all swirled around in his head with losses and gains. The Earth itself had given him something just days ago and with it had come the need to improve himself if only just a bit. Beneath a black motorcycle helmet with a radiation symbol painted in neon green pain his hair was different. the standard mohawk cut away to three smaller ones in it's place. He was thinking of changing the way he wore his piercings, and his new coat was stiff but comfy, it's black leather weighted down with studs in various runic patterns. He drove in an uncharacteristic silence besides his roaring engine, trying to ponder the changes in his life, wondering if all this meant something was trying to give him a destiny... and how that something would react to two middle fingers raised towards it. Jax didn't care for authority and what was fate and destiny but the ultimate authority.

He kept to the route though with his sidecar mounted and filled with groceries. Simple foods with little to no prep time involved fromo Jerky and Peanut Butter to Poptarts and Chips. Anything that required cooking time was abandoned at the store for those who cared what they stuck in his body. Sure Jax stopped form time to time at an actual resturant, or maybe ordered a pizza, but most of the time food was just to Feed Da Machine as he put it. To keep him going to the next project. Also included was a few items to satisfy the mind... booze namely. He guess his cart was fifty/fifty booze and food. A man had to keep hydrated after all.

But his shopping trip ponderings were about to be put to an end. He had reached forward to turn on his MP3 player and blare GOOD music to the streets and turn off his ponderings when he saw it up ahead. A car parked to the side of the road and hood up. He slowed just a bit and saw under the hood a woman was bent over her engine which would be normally something he could ignore easily. She had a good car, was dressed nice. The chances she owned a cell phone were very good... but... in this neighborhood. A place someone like him thrived would be very bad for someone like her. He noticed her shapelines, her dark hair, a pretty face... and looking ahead he noticed from an alley way several figures coming out but they slowed as he slowed his bike a few car lengths ahead of her, and stopped as he stopped. He looked at them, they looked at him... and they turned around back into the alley. He snorted in satisfaction and tsked inside his head. She hadn't even noticed them.

Flicking his kickstand into position Jax parked his bike and pulled off his helmet. As soon as it was off his hand sought a cigarette with his right hand as he left tossed his helm into his sidecar. Putting it to his lips and lighting as he turned he started walking back to the woman as green smoke drifted up from the cigarette adding the smell of smoke to Jax's ever present smell of gasoline, oil, and hot metal. Jax walked till he was a few steps behind her to give her space incase she decided to scream and run into her car when she noticed him and coughed once before speaking as he looked not at her but at various alleys. Projecting a disdain into them before looking back at her.

"Need a hand?"

He tried to make his voice as non threatening as he could manage. No reason to scare he if he could help it... but with a little self awareness he realized that might not be an easy task... then again if she had actually gotten out of her car in THIS neighborhood she was probably not the brightest crayon in the box.

[Ruby]

The low rumble of a motorcycle grew gradually louder behind her, and though at this point there was really no need to even glance around to see who was coming, Ruby reminded herself that she had a part to play here. A woman, by herself, stranded in a not-so-nice part of town. Realistically, any little sound would have set her off. So with that in mind, she tensed her shoulders just enough to show that she was paying attention, was perhaps praying for this man on the motorcycle to pass without giving her any trouble. When the bike came to a stop not too far ahead of her car, however, Ruby looked up with sharp, practiced wariness.

The man on the bike looked intimidating enough make anyone take a step back if he turned his angry gaze on them. From his bright green, multi-mohawked hair to his piercings right down to his leather jacket, his whole being radiated the fact that he was not someone you wanted to mess with. She watched him carefully as he approached her - though of course, Ruby knew exactly who this man was. This wasn't some random punk off the streets waltzing over here to try and mug her - this was Jax Gardener. Just who she'd been looking for, although she didn't allow the faint smirk of satisfaction that tugged at the corner of her lips to show itself. Instead, the brunette immediately straightened up as he approached, her eyes widening a fraction as she took an involuntary - well, seemingly involuntary - step back.

"Oh," was the only sound she allowed to escape her lips as she turned and glanced back at the engine, then quickly turned her attention back to him as if wary of having her back turned to him for too long. "...I'm fine. Really. I'm just having a little...car trouble..to state the obvious..." Even as she spoke those last words, the car's engine let out a soft, rather well-timed hiss. Well, that hadn't sounded good at all. Wincing slightly at the noise, Ruby allowed her eyes to flutter closed for a moment and ran a hand briefly through her hair. The epitome of someone who'd just had a rather trying day, who really did not need to deal with something like this right now. When her eyes opened again, she regarded Jax carefully. Despite the jumpy, nervous facade she was putting on, it was not lost on Ruby that he seemed to be trying his hardest not to startle her. It was a gesture that was so out of place in this part of town that it vaguely amused Ruby for a moment.

Slowly, her gaze drifted back to the alleyway, evidently weighing the odds - or wondering how much longer she wanted to be left alone here. With a light sigh, the demoness slowly turned back to face Jax again. "Maybe...if you wouldn't mind taking a look. I really don't know anything about cars." she told him after a moment, looking rather sheepish - and at the same time, rather irritated with herself. Like she was pretty much helpless in this situation, and she didn't like it one bit - but she knew it. Hesitantly, she took a step or two away from the hood to allow him to take a look.

[Jax]

Jax raised an eyebrow as the flustered woman pretended to be fine and simply leaned sideways to look at her car as it began to see. The fact the car was fine was obvious. It was as fine as a snowball in a firepit. As she looked back at her car and back he met her eyes and grunted. It was obvious the grunt called into question her entire concept of 'fine'. He didn't blame her, she was afraid of him. He was fine with that he didn't have to help her... maybe he could just stay nearby... out of sight and glaring at people... until someone she called arrived. That would be the simplest solution, the one where he wouldn't have to interact anymore and... she asked him to help. She was either very desperate or brave and he had a feeling it might be brave. He hoped that was it. She seemed irked at the fact she couldn't handle the current situation, that seemed more important to her then the appearance of the man offering help and that was... admirable. He nodded to her trying to keep things casual.

He walked over to the car and leaned in frowning at the hot metal he reached out and touched the side of the engine and kept himself between her and the engine for the minute he needed to flare his power to increase the metal's ability to transfer heat. The metal cooled quickly and the steam raising up cooled through it left some water condensing on him. He ignored it and leaned in to inspect the damage. As he frowned in concentration he pulled open his coat and pulled out a pair of screwdrivers and began to tinker. From time to time he would pull out a new tool or take a part off and hold it up to the light. His expression grew dubious and doubtful as he held up a part to the light and looked at it. It was slightly bent and he looked at the rest of the car a bit bewildered. As the car was it shouldn't have been able to start much less get her where he was... certain suspicions were confirmed as he held up a stripped spark plug. He held it up as well and grunted much like a doctor confirming a grave diagnostic test.

Throwing the spark plug over his shoulder he pulled one out of his pocket and began to fiddle with it, squeezing it, attaching a small piece of wire to it. And slowly and carefully he screwed it into place. Then he held up the other part he had taken out and quickly looking over his shoulder he muttered.

"Someone don't like ya... Things like dis don't happen by accident."

Putting the part lower to block her view with his body he flared his power again and the metal reshaped itself to the correct bend. He stuck this back in and took out a piece of electrical tape and wrapped it around the base of the part as he installed it. He kept talking.

"One of dis things coming out would have been $@&$ing bad long term. But all dis dings coming loose at once... it's like... ya would either have ta have someone really &@*@ing pissed at ya and want ya in a bad place ta get gutted like a pig... or tomorrow I am gonna go and get da exact opposite lottery numbers from some ya pick cause they will be gure#&*@ingnteed to win da way."

Pausing to hit a stubborn bolt with a hammer Jax poked his head out of the engine. He had a slight smile on his face and a streak of grease on his nose and a boyish gleam in his eye as he looked at his field repairs. The happy began to slowly drain as he looked away as his world weary and cynical expression returned as he explained.

"But dis repairs should hold ya till ya get ta someplace that can do something more permament as long as ya don't push her or get in a ^#&@ing car chase with Vin Diesel."

He looked back at the car a bit grim now, the happy from helping gone. If someone was observant they might have noticed concern.

"Have ya pissed off someone lately? Cause seriously. All dat going wrong is na normal in a fine car like dis... maybe if ya had a Gremlin but ya take decent care of dis car. Good oil, good fuel. Oil changed within the past..."

Jax reached down and poked his finger at a spot of oil and reached up to his nose ans sniffed.

"Two weeks... three days... and dis shouldn't have happened on it's own..."

He shook his head it wasn't his concern. She was a big girl she could take care of herself. He didn't need to adopt someone else... but his eyes were drown to feeling of her being watched. Figures had retreated but had not vanished. Jax reached his power to his wrist and read the time as he looked at the night sky, stars invisible due to the brightness of city lights even in the dank dark ghetto but he still looked up and then down at her.

"Na machine shop will be open dis late... Dis fixes would hold for a bit but... like I said nothing ya want ta push... normally I would just tell ya a good relatively honest mechanic and send ya on ya way but..."

Jax had been going to offer an escort but that wouldn't work here. In a S-Mart parking lot yes but... times like this called for better ideas.

"I got sorta a machine shop of ma own... maybe I could hook ya up a more permanent fix for ya car with a full set of tools."

He looked down at himself with a bit of awareness and grunted knowingly.

"If ya want ya could call someone ta come with, a chaperone."

Jax shrugged uncaringly as with his hands coated in oil and car fluids he took another puff on his cigarette.

[Ruby]

Quietly waiting as Jax assessed the damage done to the engine and began attempting to fix it, Ruby mused to herself that he didn't seem to want her to see what he was doing. It wasn't difficult to guess why - his meta-human abilities were most likely giving him a hand, and that wasn't exactly something people typically wanted to broadcast. But Ruby certainly wasn't going to call him out on it. Besides, it wasn't the engine that concerned her at the moment. She was busy carefully studying him as he concentrated on his work, as he chattered to her about the fact that someone seemed to have it in for her. She nearly snorted aloud. There was more truth to that than he knew - though it had nothing to do with the engine she'd ruined herself. Ruby allowed a faint smirk at his words, but it wasn't them that had caught her attention...it was the expression that flitted briefly across his face as he worked. He almost looked...happy? Intrigued, the demoness watched as this expression quickly faded.

Well. She was guessing there was a lot more to this guy than there seemed to be, and this would be interesting. Her own expression remained a mask of mingled apprehension and agitation as she watched him, however, giving a brief nod to his report that the repairs he'd made would hold long enough to get her to a proper mechanic. When he asked again whether she'd pissed someone off lately, Ruby responded with a quiet - well, it wasn't actually a laugh, because the demoness rarely outright laughed - but a quiet chuckle was a close enough description. "You could...say that.." she replied after a moment, shaking her head in apparent bemusement as she gazed at the engine. "My, um - my job doesn't exactly make me popular. But this is the first time something like this has happened.." And actually, misleading as she'd made it sound, that was the truth for all intents and purposes.

She might have said something more, something to prolong the conversation a little, if she hadn't been distinctly aware of the eyes boring into her back. But Ruby didn't so much as glance down the alley, pretending to be oblivious as she silently waited a moment for Jax to consider the situation. And sure enough, he spoke up a moment later. She raised her eyebrows slightly at his offer, allowing a flicker of doubt to cross her expression. Blinking at him and wrapping her arms a little tighter around herself as if to guard from the cold, she said nothing for a moment. Her expression was one that suggested careful contemplation - contemplation of a woman who was running out of options.

"I..." Ruby glanced around, her gaze finally locking on the alley behind her. She tensed. Hesitated. Then, frowning, turned back to Jax with a muffled sigh. "...guess I don't really have too many options here. Is your shop nearby?" This last question was spoken with considerably greater resolve, the whole 'I've made my decision and now I'll stick with it' bit. When he mentioned her calling a chaperone, she blinked again - and then waved him off. "No," she said after a beat, "No, it's okay. Really." Ruby met his gaze as she said this, allowing Jax to see that she meant it. Logically, even if she had been worried about him in the first place, if he'd wanted to hurt her he could have just as easily done it out in the open. It wasn't like there was anyone around to stop him.

In a lighter, reassuring tone, she continued. "It's not you I have a problem with, it's just...God, I feel like an idiot." She rolled her eyes at herself and the whole 'damsel in distress' aspect of this situation. A short pause followed. "...Thank you, by the way. You really don't have to do this - but I'd be kind of screwed if you weren't." Averting her gaze as she added this last part almost begrudgingly, Ruby gritted out the words like someone who was having quite a bit of difficulty admitting they needed to depend on someone else for once. Well...at least that part wasn't too difficult to act...

[Jax]

Jax could feel the stares, could feel the gazes of predators within the night but did not shift, did not stir but slowly his eyes sought out shadows looking at them with an even glare. He was an outsider even here. He was outside the food chain in this place. He did not pray on others was not a predator in this place... but neither was he pray. Attempts to show him otherwise had been... fatal a few times and other times it had knocked others straight out of the role of predator perhaps on a permanent bases. He supposed they would get out of the hospital eventually. He gazed at them, the old street sense feeling them looking at him and felt them look away.

He reached up and touched the hood of the car as he walked away and subtly increased the weight of the hood, it slowly closed as he snorted loudly. Holding his helmet in his hands posed to put it back on his head he grinned at her a bit as he spoke.

"Name's Jax by da way. I'll go slow, don't push ya engine and ya should ba more din fine. We ain't got far ta go."

He pulled his helmet on and buckled it to his think pan. It wasn't the state bike helmet law that made him wear the helmet. He just happened to agree that a helmet was a good idea. While if the roads were metal it probably wouldn't concern him hitting his head on pavement would break open his head just as easily as anyone elses and he had no intention to die THAT easily. As he sat on the bike he reached out his power and on it's own the bike began to move, the kick stand flicked up, and the kick start ripped down without his foot touching it as the engine flared to life booming out it's roar to echo within the ghetto. A lion's roar declaring it's sovereign territory. He hoped the girl didn't noticed the bike moving on it's own but as he twisted the throttle he knew it was the right choice. Sometimes the creatures in the dark needed a little reminded of their place, a subtle reminder of the power of the right tool in the right hands and to him his power, new and improved by his known relationship with the planet was just a tool to him.

Jax could have sped forward, could have left the woman in his dust and smoke but he didn't he kept his bike below the speed limit and took the turns at a restrained pace. It was a bit of torture for him, he wanted to rev, wanted to make his engine scream, wanted to blast the world with his speakers but... the woman was overcoming her nervousness, trying to regain control over a situation she had little control over and he respected that too much to mess with. He suffered the slowness and the relative silence as a few minutes later he pulled up to his place. A brick building obviously once a car repair shop now his own 'Fortress of Leave Ma Da #&*@ Alone' through he rented out the parking lot as neutral ground. He ground to a halt and walked past the screaming clown painted on the wall near his door as he placed his hand on a sheer expense of metal he called a door. There was no keyhole, no handle, just sheer metal. Slapping the door his power chained through various pieces of metal to a weight on the inside of the door, the weight became lighter and various parts shifted till the bolts inside the door retracted and he pushed it open. Walking around a bit he pushed a button and the reinforced metal garage doors rumbled to life as he looked around the place.

It seemed his two sometimes roommates were gone and they had somewhat straightened the place out before the left. The garbage was gone and his tools were slid back into their slots marked on the walls. Alot of the space on the walls were taken up by tools while the ceiling over a pile of greasy piles and blankets that smelled positively feverish was decorated with pictures, posters, sketches, all of machines... and a few of woman on machines. There was a blank spot where something had recently been ripped off the ceiling in the center of the college but Jax jerked his eyes from that as the door finished sliding up. He walked out and pulled his own bike in to it's accustomed spot before waving the woman to pull in herself. He let this occur as he put the groceries on the counter of his makeshift kitchen by the fridge wired to the wall and as soon as the car was parked he waved to the inside of the place as he reached over and popped the hood by tapping on it.

"It's not much but it is home so ya is welcome to it. Make ya self at home. Got some grub or booze in da bags if ya want. Or ya can take a plop on da couch in da kitchen."

Jax waved vaguely in the directions he spoke of as he happily looked at the engine. He yanked out his makeshift repairs and began to take tools off the walls pausing to peel off his coat revealing a t-shirt that informed the world that "I am not paid to be nice and even if I was you couldn't afford me." As soon as the coat was off various tattoos were revealed to the florescent lighting. He didn't pause to take in wither or not she was staring rather he just got to work. But part of him was paying attention.

"Sa what ya da dat gets ya cleaver enemies?"

He tapped the engine to grind in the point.

[Ruby]

As Jax introduced himself, Ruby fixed him with a calmer, more friendly gaze - not anywhere near as malicious as her infamous smirk, but a bit more reserved than an actual smile. "Ruby." she replied after a moment, giving him a nod that served as both a greeting and an acknowledgment of Jax's telling her to follow him. She strode back around to her car's front door and got in as he slipped on his helmet and hopped on the bike. Sure enough, the car started this time when she turned the key - sounded a bit shaky, but it was working none the less. Following his advice and taking it easy as she pulled out from the side of the road, she kept at a gradual, steady speed as she drove behind the motorcycle. Jax had been telling the truth; his shop wasn't a very long way away - but the short drive gave the demoness a bit of time to think.

So far, this was going fairly well. The meta-human didn't seem to suspect her of a thing; had been willing to help her out - and she'd certainly owe him one after this. Repaying this favor at the right moment would potentially give her the opportunity to form some sort of alliance with him - and then she could work from there. Ruby couldn't help but smirk, ever so faintly. And other demons actually thought they were accomplishing something by running around killing people. But they weren't looking at the bigger picture - with a little subtlety and forethought, so many more opportunities had the potential to unfold. Sure, it took a little longer to get results her way...and sure, acting all buddy-buddy with these humans tended to make her look like a lowdown traitor to her kind, but the others would see in the end. She wasn't disloyal - and she was going to prove it.

She stirred out of her gradually darkening thoughts once they'd reached their destination and Jax had gone inside, raising the metal doors of the garage. Once he'd given the okay, she steadily pulled into the garage before coming to a stop, twisting the keys out of the ignition and stepping out of the car once again. Her gaze met the sight that greeted her thoughtfully, taking a moment to analyze her surroundings for future reference. When you knew how to actually look, there was a lot you could learn from a place like this...she carefully noted the little, Jax-like personal touches visible to the eye before returning her attention to him. He was already getting to work, seeming a little more upbeat again as he did so. He was happier when he kept busy, it seemed - busy with something he was good at. It was a tidbit that could possibly be useful to her in the future, so she stored it away in the back of her mind as well.

Ruby nodded once in thanks and gave a slight 'mmm' of acknowledgment when he told her to make herself at home. It was funny, when she wasn't busy verbally tearing someone apart...the demoness really wasn't much of a talker. But she didn't think this particular quality would bother Jax all that much. And as for his offer...she glanced briefly in the direction he'd waved in. Human food was nice, and...well, booze was nicer, but as a demon she really didn't actually need either - and right now she found Jax considerably more intriguing. She was careful to keep out of the way, however, as he worked - standing slightly off to the side and watching him with careful interest. He had...quite a few tattoos to complete his rather unique look, and she tipped her head slightly to the side as she studied them. It was...odd to her, the ways humans adorned their bodies. But interesting from a psychological perspective at the same time. She wondered curiously what the tattoos meant to him - or whether he'd just gotten them for the hell of it.

Blinking once at his question, Ruby considered a moment before answering. "It's sort of..." She narrowed her eyes slightly as she selected an appropriate word. "..complicated. You probably wouldn't believe me if I told you. " That actually probably wasn't all that true; Jax wasn't exactly a normal run-of-the-mill civilian and most likely wouldn't have much difficulty believing her at all - not that she'd been about to tell him what she was. No, that information...if it were to be disclosed to him at all...only would be once she was entirely confident that she'd secured his trust. Telling him she was a supernatural hunter, on the other hand, would certainly explain her having a few enemies. And it was sort of true - up until her recent little return to hell, she'd been hunting creatures of the night right alongside Sam and Dean...if only to keep up appearances. There was a note of almost playful mischievousness in her voice as she continued, "Some people might say I have a little trouble minding my own business. Speaking of," She glanced around the shop again, "This is an interesting place you have here. Are you - I mean, do you do this for a living?"

[Jax]

Jax grinned when she said he wouldn't believe her if she told him. The smile was a bit more feral then his look when he was unconciously grinning as he worked on the car but he still listened and noticed the bit of 'not minding her own business' alot of notions came to him. Some of them bad but the way she looked, the way she spoke. He would put money on the good ones. He wouldn't pressure her through a person's business was there own and Ruby seemed like she had her own business. He turned back to his tools and reached under for a box of various car parts when she asked what he did for a living. Again the boyish grin he didn't even know was there vanished for a harder smile, a knowing grin.

"Da... I survived Gotham eating itself. What I da fa a living is live."

He smiled at the joke then made a placating motion with his hand after his bit of humor.

"Seriously though, I don't worry bout money much now, mostly what I da is fa fun. Build things fa people, repair things, and well... ya might have noticed this isn't a nice place ta be for most people, I survived in much much worse neighborhoods in Gotham where monstahs were people and people were monstahs. I thrived dere. Here, these gangs... barely a challenge."

Jax thought back to Joker wannabees, Scarecrow's men, Twoface's gang, groups that cause some to wet themselves, and then remembered when he first moved it, when a group of punks wearing red and carrying pipes and guns had come to his door demanding payment for 'Protection'. He grinned viciously recalling their faces as he yanked a pipe out of one of their hands and bent it with his bare hands before preceding to beat the living snot out of them. He came back from memory lane as he went on.

"They have learned ta respect my territory as neutral territory fa I protect what is mine, suddenly and violently and all ovah da place. Which... evolved... na and din da gangs need neutral territory ta talk things ovah. I let them rent ma little parking lot as long as dey don't shed blood in ma territory. As long as dey follow da rules I don't care what dey do."

He looked up at her. His eyes seeming a little older as he slotted a part into place not looking. He felt he needed to explain... maybe justify himself.

"I ain't a hero. Sure I have... dealt with problems. And I have seen dings dat were quite.. horrible... But I can't save da world... da point where da world could have been save passed a long time ago. Humanity is a cancer patient on life support. In time we will wipe ourselves out. If we are lucky dere will ba enough left ta start anew but... I doubt it. Humans are very through. Sa all I can da is protect what is mine, and ensure the rules of my territory is followed."

Jax held the sides of the engine as he pulled his head down to look at something. More adverting his gaze from hers then looking through.

"Sounds selfish but... I have tried ta ba da hero. It only ends in heartbreak."

The boyish grin gone he frowned at the past, he frowned at something lost, at something he hadn't even been looking for the left him. Frowning he looked at an engine part and shaking his head to clear it he began to work again. Trying to clear his mind of distractions... of certain emotions.

[Ruby]

Ruby's interest only increased when Jax mentioned Gotham. She knew from asking around about him that he it was where he was from, sure - but she didn't actually know much about the time he'd spent there. It certainly sound like a 'unique' city, to say the least, though she'd never been there herself. A prime example of what happened when humans lost their illusion of control over one another. Smirking lightly at his joke, she nodded slowly in understanding of his words. Personally, Ruby'd never had much interest in money either - though Jax's attitude was rare; usually it seemed as if wealth was one of the first things on these humans' minds. As for the respect the local gangs seemed to have for him, well - that could only be a good thing. It meant she wouldn't have to worry about them getting in the way.

Humans. The only race that fought so frequently among themselves. She resisted the urge to roll her eyes at the thought, however, and met his gaze seriously when he finally looked up at her. At first, Ruby wasn't much convinced that Jax would surprise her here - she'd heard it all before, the whole 'I'm not a hero' bit. But what he said next was actually cause for even the usually difficult to faze demoness to do a double-take. Well. What was this? A human who was actually aware of the unavoidable self-destructive nature of his race? This unexpected little twist of events sent a jolt of shock through her - though her surprise manifested itself in nothing less subtle than a slightly raised eyebrow. This...well, she'd somehow overlooked this interesting little detail in Jax's personality.

She agreed with him, of course - with every last word, though...despite his cynical attitude, Ruby somehow doubted that Jax shared her complete hatred for humanity in general. Still, she'd found something in him that she could relate to, and that was more than she could say for most people. And it was something she could potentially exploit later. After mostly recovering from her surprise, she continued to watch him a bit more diligently, a slight frown crossing her features. ...Heartbreak? The word, as well as his reaction to it, provoked an odd sort of reaction in Ruby. Whatever it was, it was extremely unpleasant - sickening, actually - and she quickly pushed it away and regained her rather neutral composure.

"I've seen heroes get things worse than their hearts broken." Ruby replied with a small shake of her head. Something had disturbed Jax. Some thought or memory. Effortlessly transitioning into a slightly concerned demeanor to play the sympathy card, she cleared her throat lightly. "....But I know what you mean. The hero thing is stupid, because frankly? There are a lot of screwed up people out there who aren't actually worth saving." For the first time, Ruby allowed a hint of disdain to seep into her tone, "So you pick the people who are, you stick with them, and you take care of each other." Yeah, right. How many people were actually worth taking care of? Ruby hadn't met too many, but...she mentally shrugged it off. It wasn't like she'd been sworn to tell the truth, here. She just had a part to play.

"...Not that I'd really know." she added after a moment none the less, maintaining that she wasn't referring to anyone she herself was particularly close to.

[Jax]

Jax heard her words. He heard them too well. He had believed that. Had always tried to live that but... she came into his life and seemed to think he was more then that. Seemed to think he wanted to be a hero... and then she had left him... He had been hurt. But he set his jaw against the pain. He had been hurt before, been hurt worse. Had been left bleeding in the rain in Gotham, been almost killed by his parents 'good intentions' had survived zombies and demons and was not going to lose to some renegade feelings pounding around in his brain. He couldn't fix the world... and a broken heart was the least of the things that could happen to him. So what if it was the only fear that had come true that he actually feared. Death was a sleep, injury was something that could somehow be repaired as for losing his soul... he wasn't even sure he had one of those. He also didn't appear to have the seven sixteenths wrench he needed... He rummaged through the tools a third time before glaring at the rafters and shouting.

"Okay. Where is it?!"

He glared for a while ignoring the expression on his guest's face and continuing to glare.

"WHERE IS MA WRENCH! Ya buggers have till da count of three ta produce ma wrench or ya ALL are going inta da forge."

He took a deep breath and held up a finger to count before a figure jumped down from the rafters to land on it's 'feet'. It was about a foot tall and as soon as it landed it fell on a knee holding out the wrench as a knight holding a sword out to his king. Jax facepalmed a bit with one hand as he glared with the side of his face not covered up at the figure. It kneeled upon legs made of old lamp necks, the type with joints, it's body was an old tin coffee can and a welded on door on the front of it's 'chest' was open revealing a selection of nuts and bolts as well as small tools. In place of arms it had a variety of limbs cobbled together from wires and cables. Tendrils and tenticals as well as actual arms made of the same wires tied around short lengths of metal for support. It's head seemed to be cobbled together from an old robot toy with sparkplugs where the eyes once were. A rune flared on the figures forehead, it flared the same color as the sparks coming out the 'eyes'. A bright lively purple. Jax glared at this one as up above several other pairs of purple lights sparked and watched from the rafters as they poked their heads up.

"0110110101111001001000000110110001101111011100100110010000100000011010000110111101110111001000000110110101101001"

"None of dat 'Lord' stuff alright. @&*@ gives ma a head ache."

"01100001011100110010000001111001011011110111010100100000011101110110100101110011011010000010000001101101011110010010000001101100011011110111001001100100"

Jax snarled at the 'bot' and threw his hands up and then reached down to snatch the wrench. He paused and held it to his nose to sniff.

"... Why does ma wrench smell like cologne?"

The figure looked down and away as Jax threw his arms up again.

"Please tell ma ya ^#&@ing scrap heap rejects weren't trying to seduce da Wendy's sign again."

"... 0110001001110101011101000010000001101101011110010010000001101100011011110111001001100100001000000110100001100101011100100010000001100101011011000110010101100111011000010110111001110100001000000111011001101111011010010110001101100101001000000111001101101001011011100110011101110011001000000111010001101111001000000111010101110011!"

Jax gently tapped his head a few time with his wrench counting loudly. With each number his voice got a little more under control despite the fact his muscles kept tensing with each tap. finally he took a deep breath.

"That will be all Siegmund."

The humonculi stood, bowed, and was about to climb the wall when it ran to Jax, yanked on his pant leg and handed something to him while pointing casually at their 'guest' before going on to climb. Jax just stood their for a while starring at his hand before he shouting to the ceiling.

"I DON'T EVEN WANNA KNOW WHY MA HUMONCULI HAVE CONDOMS IN DERE CHESTS! YA HEAR MA! I DON'T WANNA HEAR IT!"

Jax tossed the 'package' onto a nearby table and started to reach into the engine again when he looked at Ruby. He starred at her a moment before sighing loudly again.

"... Ya wanna know right? Long story short. Thought I was a meta-human back in Gotham... Turns out I was all kinds of wrong... da truth is more #&*@ed up den fiction I will tell ya dat.... just let ma get da next part in and I will answer a few questions."

Just fiddled with the engine a few more moments letting Ruby process the situation and then closed the engine and walking to the kitchen sink to wash up a bit. Peeling off his grease stained shirt he washed his hands letting his sweaty muscles air a bit as well as displaying more of his tattoos before turning and then putting on a fresher one. This one had a large red X through a white font saying "Intelligent Life".

"Sa... what da ya wanna know first? What I am? What dey are? Or da ya have something different that jumps up and down in ya head?"

[Ruby]

...Just what exactly was he looking for? A bit unsure what to make of this seemingly random development, Ruby could only watch as Jax went on to yell at...Lucifer knew who or what...to bring him the wrench he was evidently looking for. She furrowed her brow at him. "What--" Before she could get even the second word of her question out, however, a...very unusual creature appeared on the scene. Was the word 'creature' appropriate? She wasn't sure if it was actually sentient - it appeared to be a...robot of some kind, and Ruby immediately eyed it distrustfully. Human technology could be very unpredictable. Though mainly, her dislike for things like this stemmed from the fact that she really just didn't know much about it. And Ruby very much preferred to be well-informed.

Her uneasy, nonplussed expression remained in place as she watched Jax's interaction with the whatever-it-was. Eventually she turned away and leaned lightly against the wall, arms folded across her chest as she took the opportunity to gaze around the shop again. It wasn't until the bot handed something to Jax and turned to point briefly at Ruby herself that the demoness stirred back to attentiveness, turning to send the critter a trademark death glare. This was no time for silliness, and - wait, what? Condoms?! Thoroughly unamused, she gritted her teeth slightly together but managed to refrain from snarling at the bot as it scurried back up to the ceiling. The brunette rolled her eyes. Mental note: that thing was so dead. Or, well...whatever the mechanical version of 'dead' was. You could ask her car, she supposed.

"Well that was...interesting." Back to her usual dry, guarded demeanor, she turned her attention back to Jax and raised her eyebrows, silently asking for an explanation. Thankfully, it seemed as if he wasn't going to shy away from giving her one. Though...what he said next made her stop cold. Had she heard him correctly? He wasn't a meta-human? But...all of the information she'd gathered on him thus far had told her otherwise...This time, Ruby was actually unable to hide the blank shock that took over her expression - but maybe that worked to her advantage. After all, there weren't many normal people who wouldn't be shocked after hearing something like that.

But how? How had she miscalculated? And what, exactly, was she dealing with here then? She'd seen that he still had his abilities - what other sorts of beings could manipulate metal? Her dark gaze was trained on him as he crossed to the sink and began cleaning up a bit. Anyone close to the demoness might have felt the almost tangible energy radiating off of her - she was practically bristling - but thankfully, she was fairly certain that Jax was far enough away not to notice any change in her demeanor. "Let's start with you," Ruby said curtly after a moment, her eyes narrowing as she continued to survey him. "I can worry about your...friends later. Are you trying to tell me that you're not human?" Of course, just because he wasn't a meta-human per se didn't mean he wasn't a human at all - there was a lot of grey area. But one thing she did know was that she wanted to get this cleared up. Fast.

[Jax]

Jax could not help it a bark of laughter came out and a genuine smile escaped his lips. Reaching up he tweaked the chains hanging from his face as he smiled as Ruby. His posture relaxed as he looked to her and walking to the sidecar of his car pulled out a six pack of beer and pulled free a can.

"Human... heh. Human is just a word. ..."

Glowing runes slowly engulfed the can and the top of the can began to melt, to move, as it pulled the can into a different shape, twisting to a shape slightly more goblet then can. Jax looked down at the can and satisfied pulled the tab and took a sip and let out a breath of satisfaction.

"Donna know why but that always makes da beer taste better."

He shrugged and leisurely took another sip. He had to admit this woman was handling the whole situation well. He had worried a bit about panic or unwillingness to believe the situation. He wondered what she did that this all was so blase to her so the concern more about what he was then the horde of creatures living in his home. She barely seemed to blink at that though it seemed the condom thing had irritated her. Taking his time on purpose he finally lowered the 'goblet' and spoke.

"Genetically... I suppose I am as human as da next person. I am not a meta-human as I thought. Not a demon or a werewolf or anything like dat. Simply put... I am da Mage Of The Earth's Bones."

The last five words were spoken in an inhuman tone as from the mouth of something beyond ancient, a voice beyond mere flesh and in response... Jax glared at the ground and stomped hard on it.

"I told ya na ta da dat! Na hijacking ma mouth ta impress people!"

He glared for a bit and then look back at Ruby shrugging again. He could feel it even as he stood there. That continual feeling of love towards him, the respect and care for him... it seriously wigged him out at times despite how nice it was. It was like there was this warm blanket wrapped around him despite his many flaws. he felt like a porcupine wrapped in a heating blanket.

"Sorry about dat. We are still talking boundaries."

He spoke as this was as normal as going to the grocery store for jerky... he had had to embrace all this to keep from going mad... and sometimes he got drunker then usual.

"I spent a good portion of ma life dinking I was just another meta-human. Dinking I was just another new strain of human. I was very wrong. Turns out da planet... da freaking Mother Earth erself choose ma ta bear a bit of er power. Power over metal itself. It first manifested as something more like a metapower... but when I really needed it more of da power came forth a couple weeks ago and... I found what I am. Da..."

He paused and glared at the concrete floor for a moment and then continued.

"Mage of da Earth's Bones..."

Satisfied Jax continued.

"A title she bestowed upon ma makes ma sound like a lunitic I know but..."

Jax waved at the ceiling, at the purple runes and sparking eyes of his followers.

"Human?... Not sure the word applies... I am Jax though. Jax the Mage... I need ta make business cards."

[Ruby]

The glowing runes that illuminated the beer can as Jax manipulated it were strangely hypnotic to the demoness, and she couldn't help but focus on them with undisguised intrigue for a moment as he began to speak. It wasn't until his voice took on a distinctively inhuman, earthly tone that Ruby's gaze snapped back to meet his. She stiffened at the sudden change - no, whatever that had been, it definitely wasn't human. But...Jax was? She considered this for a moment, wondering exactly how something like this had slipped under the demonic radar for this long - Jax seemed like he would have been a prime recruit for Azazel, the yellow-eyed demon who'd been gathering humans of a...gifted nature a while back. But as far as she knew, Ruby was the first demon to look into the existence of this...very interesting mage, if that was what he was. It only went to show the kind of idiocy she had to put up with from the majority of her kind.

This...was going to be something she needed to think on. That, at least, was certain. For now, however, she'd need to keep up the act until she'd thought out her next move from here. At any rate, there was...a lot more potential here than she'd originally anticipated. The thought was enough to make her - well, not happy, ew. Pleased. That was a better description. Her eyes sparkled a bit as she watched him angrily scold the ground (okay.) for his little vocal enhancement. After she'd heard him out the rest of the way, she paused. "That is..." Well. Usually words weren't very difficult for Ruby to formulate, but she was having a bit of trouble settling on one that properly described this situation. Finally, she ended up going with: "....Wow"

Remembering to present herself as at least somewhat cautious as well as intrigued, she stepped away from the wall and looked him up and down with a sort of begrudging admiration. If he asked why she found none of this particularly insane, of course, she could always feed him her hunter story - but that wasn't her main concern at the moment. "No wonder you're so good with cars." Ruby glanced back at her own to emphasize the point, smirking. Really, the fact that he'd confided all of this in her was definitely going to prove to be beneficial. Now she didn't need to pretend to be oblivious anymore - and now she could work toward openly encouraging the use of his abilities. It was fairly safe to say that Ruby was, by this point, in a considerably better mood than she had been when the evening had started out. It was looking more and more like this initial little encounter might end with some actual progress being made...

"...I can't say I've ever met a...mage before." She allowed a flicker of doubt to cross her expression here, the way any supernatural hunter might. As if gauging whether or not she needed to consider him a threat - dangerous. At length, however, she continued, and her tone was a little warmer as she did. "You must be pretty special, Jax. I'm not much of a tree hugger, but I can't imagine 'Mother Nature' choosing just anyone for that kind of power." Ruby was well-practiced at sounding genuine when it came to this sort of thing, telling people something that they - if not wanted, than at least liked - to hear. Though while mainly, she was just saying it for her own selfish purposes and to encourage him...a part of her did mean it. There was certainly something intriguing about Jax.

And, well, alright. She was impressed.

[Jax]

Jax paused for a moment before reaching into a pocket and pulling out another cigarette. He held it above his head and a chain of his helpers dangled from the rafters as the bottom most one held out a lighter and lit it. Sticking it into his mouth Jax watched blandly as they climbed back up. They tried to stay out the way most of the time and that was good but if he didn't spend enough time with them they got into... mischief... like their odd attempts to seduce the Wendy's drive through sign. He didn't understand it and wasn't about to try. He had figured out long ago that way lays madness. He looked at Ruby and shrugged.

"See... da ding about da Earth... she donna understand alot of stuff. She is a mother..."

His face twitched as he said those words, a life time of issues apparent on his face but he pushed down the hate, the rage, the feelings that screamed at him. He barely snarled as he said that word.

"But like... of da... everything here. She loves us all. Even da &*@$ing vamps. Da people who dump toxins, da idiots in congress, da monstahs and da saints alike. She doesn't care about that... they are all like... connected some how by I don't know... worlds and sister worlds or &@($ like dat."

He screwed up his face a bit confused but went on.

"She doesn't understand good or evil but she does understand love and hate. There are dings she loves like us... and den dere are things she hates... I mean seriously hates. I mean I so much as DINK about dem I can feel here rage and hate bubbling underneath her love. I could go and pummel ma neighbor with a lead pipe for his car keys and she wouldn't give a #*@$ but if I evah tried to make love ta a #&*$ing fairy she would... yup... dere it is. Pure rage and love conflicting in ma #^&*@ing dink pan."

Jax tapped the side of his head with his smoking hand letting ash flick off his cigarette and landing on his arm. It stung but from years of welding mild burns didn't even make him flinch anymore. He held the pose holding his fingers at his '#^&*@ing dink pan'

"I feel what she feels. Emotion wise. Normally it's dis... general wave of love and affection for ma. It's really $#&*$ing confusing when you are bludgeoning a demon dat is trying ta lay eggs in ya stomach.... and I am not used ta dings feeling day way about ma..."

He spat to the side trying to gloss over the statement that had slipped out of his mouth.

"&#*@ I haven't really talked about dis ta anyone. Sorry fa babbling at ya I am sure ya have better things ta da then listen ta one of societies dregs babble like a #&*@ arkum inmate."

[Ruby]

Ruby had...really never heard the earth talked about as an actual sentient being before. Under normal circumstances, she would have brushed it off as nonsense without so much as batting an eye, but...Jax was a Mage. And this new information she'd just gathered forced her to take him at least somewhat seriously. Though even more disconcerting was the idea of 'Mother Earth' loving every creature that walked the planet. The demoness very nearly physically cringed at the thought. Demons weren't meant to be loved by anyone - well, save for Lucifer himself. But maybe she was taking this all a bit too literally. There was no point in getting worked up about some concept that didn't even concern her - or at least, didn't concern her in any blatantly observable way.

So she remained quiet and patiently listened to what he had to tell her, trying to imagine what sharing such a connection with the earth must be like. It sounded downright overbearing - human emotions were enough to deal with on their own, but having the earth's feelings linked to yours as well? The very thought would have been enough to make Ruby squirm...if it wasn't for the fact that she was less the squirming and more the emotionless, composed type. Despite her discomfort, however, she shook her head to reassuringly wave off his apology. The demoness was not exactly known for having the patience of a saint, but one thing she didn't mind was Jax confiding in her - that was the entire point, after all. "It's okay. At the risk of sounding like a shrink, you should talk about it. Bottling up stuff like this would be enough to make you crazy." She looked at him for a moment, trying to gauge the truth in his statement. Had he really never spoken of this to anyone before?

...Wow. No matter what abilities they had or didn't have, humans in general were really just a self-destructive bunch. Of course, she'd already known that.

Giving him another lighter, more playful smirk, Ruby couldn't help but add, "Though between you and me, I think a little 'crazy' is healthy." It was true. The people who tried to make it through life sane usually ended up crazier than the ones who just accepted that their lives were far from normal. And besides - as a rule, she generally thought that a person being just a little 'unhinged' was a good thing. It made her work that much easier. After a moment, she quite casually went on. "....Besides. I think it's interesting. Witches, I've dealt with. Meta-humans, I've dealt with. But as far as mages and...well, all things 'Mother Earth' go? It's mostly new territory for me." At this point, she thought, it wouldn't be too dangerous giving him that information. Especially since, if she wanted to earn his trust eventually, she was going to have to at least pretend to be opening up a bit as well.

"So feel free to 'babble' all you want." Ruby finished, her words a bit cheeky - but certainly not unfriendly.