Bellelurette: Cain

[perfectpower]

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week 2, Saturday

[perfectpower]

[Trial's over and Siffrin is off in his one-day prison room. Where is Cain? Bradley is going looking for him.]

[uiscebeatha]

[ Cain's in the Promenade of Reflexion. He's staring at Hwylryn's statue, arms crossed, frown on his face.

Even if they have touched already today, he recognizes Bradley's gait pretty well by now. He glances over at him in his approach. ]

[perfectpower]

[Even if they had touched, Brad is going to take a hold of Cain's hand to make sure he can see.]

How're you doin'?

[uiscebeatha]

[ Cain's gaze turns to him, regardless, and he'll squeeze his hand back. ]

...I dunno. I feel like...I could've done things differently. I could've done more.

[ About, well. Everything. ]

You okay?

[perfectpower]

We all could've done more.

[He is not feeling okay, but that's basically life.]

But that's how things go sometimes. You can't save everyone. But if you dwell on it too much it'll drag you down until you die from it.

[He might be thinking of someone specific when he says that.]

So grieve what could have been today 'n tomorrow, and then let it go. On Monday we gotta keep moving forward.

[uiscebeatha]

[ Cain's eyes drop the glossy floor, his brows furrowed.

Keep moving forward—that's the one thing he's good at. He's not going to forget Siffrin (assuming their pattern of remembering the loops holds going forward), but he'll be ready for whatever the next week brings. That he knows.

But everything else? That's where they differ.

He looks back up at Bradley again. ]

What would you have done?

[perfectpower]

Assuming interrogation's off the table?

[Because he has ways of getting information out of people. Ways that are not usually considered ethical.]

[uiscebeatha]

[ Cain stares at him for a moment, evaluating him...

They're total opposites when it comes to this sort of thing, that he knows. But it's because he's stared down the end of Bradley's gun and survived that he has the courage to acknowledge it. ]

...It's not. [ He turns to face him fully. ] I want to know what you would've done.

[perfectpower]

[Brad is likewise evaluating Cain, trying to decide how much of the truth he can handle. Cain is a knight, good and honest, and Brad's techniques might turn his stomach.]

Narrowed it down to a group of possible suspects, then started squeezing them a bit. Figuratively.

[He could squeeze them literally too, but.]

Tying someone to a chair and acting aggressive can get some people to break too. But y'know, most people don't like those kinda things. I probably woulda drawn the votes to me by doing that.

[uiscebeatha]

[ He's kind of right, though. Cain's not sickened by the idea, but he would've stopped him.

More importantly— ]

Yeah. Neither of us want that.

[ He's pretty sure...? both of them want to get back to where they belong.

He nods. ]

Continue.

[perfectpower]

See, the hard part after that is that I would've wanted to start with people at Siffrin's curfew, but I wouldn't have done it on you. That woulda made people look at you as the culprit instead.

[uiscebeatha]

I would've done it anyway, for honesty's sake. And I know you would have defended me anyway...

[ Crazy how much trust he has for Bradley is leaps and bounds above everyone else here. ]

I keep finding myself looking like I could be related to the case. I didn't carry a sword with me this week but I just ended up looking like I got into a knife fight instead.

[ He looks at his arm, where his stab wound was.

He looks up again. ]

Hey. Do you have a wish?

[perfectpower]

[How did he get stabbed anyway??? CAIN!]

I do, but it's somethin' I can make real for myself once I get home. No point in killin' and riskin' death here.

[He knows he's one of the strongest wizards alive, and he knows that everyone is going to need his strength at the next Calamity. He is prioritizing making it back alive.]

Why? Is it something you're thinking about?

[uiscebeatha]

[ DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT!!!

Cain seems to relax when he hears that. He knows Bradley well enough to be confident in his assumption that he wouldn't fall for the wish thing—they're similar, in that way. ]

Nah.

[ His answer is certain. ]

I'd rather get my eye back with my own strength. I think Owen would be disappointed if I took a shortcut. [ A pause, and then he corrects: ] —I would be disappointed.

Week 3, post-trial

[perfectpower]

[After the trial is over, Brad is nudging Cain to get his attention before nodding his head to the door.

Let's talk.]

[uiscebeatha]

[ A talk, huh. Yeah, he's got stuff to say.

Cain turns to leave, following Bradley. And when they're past the threshold— ]

What is it?

[perfectpower]

How dangerous do you think Yoru is?

[Just a point-blank question there.]

[uiscebeatha]

I don't know.

[ An honest answer. ]

I think he can be dangerous if he wants to be. He's called himself a monster and a killer, and I believe him.

[ ... ]

He reminds me a little of Owen.

[perfectpower]

...yeah, I thought so too. He seems nice enough, but when I was teasin' you two on Thursday his words got sharp.

[uiscebeatha]

...He talks like that sometimes.

[ Not usually when there's other people around, but. ]

Bradley... Are you worried he's going to hurt me?

[perfectpower]

Maybe not you, but...

[He trails off there, not wanting to finish that thought.]

Just remember that I'm here to help you if shit gets thick. We both gotta get home to save our world.

[uiscebeatha]

I know. My duty to Akira comes before anything else.

[ He must've seen the way he rejected Yoru the night before, but...

That worries him, too. ]

...You don't think he's going to try and kill someone to come with us, do you?

[perfectpower]

I more worry about him killing someone with the wish of ensnaring your heart.

[uiscebeatha]

[ Cain pauses, and slows to a stop.

This is the worst thing he can think of, as a wizard. Besides being forced to make a promise. ]

...He wouldn't do that, would he?

[perfectpower]

I don't know. Do you know him well enough to bet your life on it?