tushanshu_logs | used to care, but times have changed. [ catch-all ]

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used to care, but times have changed. [ catch-all ]

Who
When
Where
What
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"Jacob Kane" (Cain) & You
Catch-all for the rest of August
Various places in Keeliai
Cain reacclimatizes to life on a a turtle floating through the Dreaming. Basically just make something up and I bet you Cain is there somewhere.
The thread with Gene delves into imagery of torture and child abuse. (If you could take a moment, consider filling this out!)

There was a whole lot that hadn't actually changed in the city. Small things, different businesses here and there, maybe a few more houses in one district and some converted or otherwise gone in another. It was familiar in the way any city was after a time lapse, although Cain would be the first to admit that it was a significant enough change for hardly a year's time since his last visit. At least that meant it was easy to catch up on old ground.

However, now he found himself staying at and working at the Hotel however temporarily until he got his feet truly underneath him. That was good, a simple task to keep an eye on people and make himself comfortable again. Working with the Metalworkers on his own projects kept the rest of the time occupied. The vast majority of Cain's free time, however, was spent exploring the city and feeling out the atmosphere, talking to kedan and foreigners alike. He had cleaned himself up and changed his wardrobe just enough to look older than his usual early-twenties for a change of pace. Usually, this wasn't the sort of thing Cain would care about; usually, this was the sort of bed the city could make and lie in all on its own for the denial of taking responsibility they'd dragged in themselves; usually, he wasn't stuck here forced to be a part of it with a bunch of others who were in much the same situation.

Usually, it sucked to have a sense of responsibility for those he felt close to.

Most of his days consisted of hitting up local businesses, making himself known to the locals as someone helpful and harmless and getting whatever gossip he could. Cain checked in on the few friends he had, and looked to make any more to improve his own situation. It never hurt to make use of a specifically positive image, after all. He might as well have a bit of fun with it.

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Klaus rubbed the back of his neck, his usually impeccable posture slumping a bit.

"Yes. No one seems to quite be in agreement what we should tackle first." And that was the frustrating part. "The justicar is the most immediate threat, if she is, indeed, a threat and not just bluster. The cultists could also prove to be incredibly dangerous if left to their own devices." He dragged his hand down his face in frustration.

"The turtle is sinking, so the drought may wind up being the least of our problems."

Cain stepped about the store more, inspecting the products and just taking it in. It was a nice shop, the owner was probably proud of it, and care was evident. He liked that; businesses run by the ones who cared and wanted it rather than huge conglomerations that prevailed nowadays. Not that he was against those either, but the former was hands-down more comfortable, easy.

"I don't think it's a matter of what to tackle first, but how to divide the manpower," Cain said honestly. There were too many issues to pour every resource into one rather than try to maintain all of them together. "Which is difficult when you've got three powerful families with their own self-interest at heart and a flimsy truce between them instead of an alliance. As for the turtle... actually, do we have any idea how far above the ocean bed we are?"

"If recollection serves, we're currently stuck circling Zhausing's Well, which is, regrettably, over some manner of trench. If there's a way to steer it towards land, then that might at least buy us time to wake him up. But that would require extraordinary amounts of power."

He frowned, and resumed sweeping up the soil that had fallen out of a pot when he'd set up a particularly fine display of chrysanthemums.

"And you're right. Between the three families and foreigners with their own beliefs- things could become chaotic very quickly."

"Circling? As long as we're still moving, we have momentum," Cain said, voice turning quiet and contemplative. This was something he'd have to mull over more, but momentum meant force and force meant they already had some of the power they would need to redirect Asti. It would still take effort and more like than not coordination, but it didn't seem impossible nor insurmountable to him.

Maybe he was just an optimist.

"I'll say the fact that we're still calm and relatively well-organized right now speaks well." Watching Klaus, Cain cast about and found the dustpan; taking it, he crouched down to the pile that was being swept up and tipped it up just a bit to indicate for Klaus to finish when he was ready. Better than just sitting around, even if it was incredibly presumptuous and not something most would think of. "However, it's how everyone will perform under active duress that matters. If no one is willing to communicate, we're sunk even before Tu Vishan is."

Klaus let out a small exclamation of surprise.

"You don't have to do that, Mr Kane. But thank you, you're most kind."

He swept the dust up quickly.

"I quite agree - communication is key in any situation. Fortunately any disagreements have been just that. Very civil." He was well used to things in Jerusalem's Lot getting out of control very quickly.

"Kindness and boredom are a dangerous mix," was all Cain said to the comment. It wasn't like he minded; it was something to do. That, and it was nice to keep people off-guard sometimes just by following his instincts rather than present cultural norms.

He shook his head. "Disagreements, sure, but what about actual conflict? That's where my doubt lies. Words are easy. Actions are much, much harder." Most people would already know that, but it never hurt to state the obvious to emphasize something.

"Most here seem to be able to set aside petty disagreements if necessity dictates," he remarked, tipping the dirt into the waste bin. "I haven't seen people here in a combat situation beyond sparring, however."

Which he should probably remedy soon. He wanted to get an idea of people's abilities before anything truly terrible happened. However much he missed his team back home, these were the people he'd be working alongside with for now.

"...Have you?"

"Not yet," Cain answered simply. There hadn't been anything large-scale so far, aside from the times when he had been trapped in the Dreaming. The Chihulean invasion, for one thing, and then the actual struggles that had happened in the fight against Malicant. That was another thing, however. "Unless you count fights in the Dreaming. Considering that was when the city was invaded, too, you might even say when it rains, it pours."

Better to keep on top of things than assume nothing would happen. Holding patterns were dangerous if one couldn't let go of them in times of need, and that was generally how people worked. Clinging to the familiar, unable to adapt without trouble. "Then again, you know more about the recent climate than I do."

"Perhaps, but I still lack some context." Klaus rubbed the back of his neck, looking abashed. "A month may be long enough for me to get my bearings, but I'm still learning."

He set the broom and dustbin aside, and smoothed his apron.

"This city is full of surprises. Have any of the flowers caught your eye?"

"Haven't been here that long, then," Cain surmised. Nothing wrong with that; it kind of gave them similar standing. Even if Cain had been here before, things changed and he wasn't about to assume he could just pick up where he'd left off. He would never get that lucky.

At the question, he smiled and moved to point at some yellow and blue flowers he didn't recognize from earth. "These are intriguing. Do you know what they are?"

"Unfortunately," Klaus agreed and stepped over to get a better look at the plant, adjusting his spectacles.

"A variant of thelymitra paciflora," he explained, gently turning the star-shaped petals upward. "They're a type of orchid though these are much more vivid in colour than the ones I'm used to."

He inspected the pot suspiciously. "I don't think any dyes have been used. They're low maintenance as orchids go, provided they're kept warm."

"Slender Sun Orchids," Cain said with a smile. He wasn't totally up to date on scientific names to call them all out himself, but he recognized when he heard one. He had a lot of overly trivial knowledge like that; after living so long, some things just got picked up whether he realized it or not.

"Must be pretty easy to grow in this weather we're having." Cain shifted, looking at the rest of the flowers around the shop. "Chances are it's something in the soil that isn't local to whatever either of us are familiar with. Maybe it's magic," he added, only half-teasing.

Klaus practically beamed.

"You're well versed," he remarked, keeping his smile from getting too wide (and horrifying. Good lord, those teeth).

"Though it's the succulents you'll want to look at if you want something to survive this heat."

He gestured to the rows of them surrounding a table in the center of the floor.

"And I wouldn't be surprised about the magic. It can do... rather unusual things to plants."

Strange teeth indeed, but Cain didn't seem to mind. He merely smiled in response to the praise and turned to inspect the flowers indicated. That was all true, but there was something to be said for being somewhere new and magical, and expecting something a little different than usual. Like new breeds of flowers entirely.

"I've been around," he replied, despite the fact that he barely looked old enough to be out of college. Then he shook his head. "Not so much that magic isn't still weird, but I do tend to know my stuff."

Klaus lofted a brow. At least, that's probably what was going on under that fringe of aggressively red hair judging by the way one eye got a bit wider than the other. It was a case of Schrodinger's Eyebrows.

"I take it that means you're well traveled?" He asked, re-arranging the pots so that some of the flowering succulents were in better view.

The implication of a raised brow was there, and Cain knew that expression when he saw one. It was probably not the easiest bluff to make with how he looked but his age seemed almost... if not normal, then acceptable in a place like this. Testing the boundaries and poking at what people from other worlds were willing to accept had become of interest to Cain even if he didn't pursue it that often.

"Positively well-traveled," he said with an air of simply answering. "I've been to every continent by now and every major power at one point or another."

Klaus, once again, seemed genuinely delighted by this.

"That's an incredible achievement," he said, without a hint of guile. His initial surprise he'd had earlier had changed to a sort of admiration. "Miss Zatanna and I were recently reminiscing on fair-weather trips to Rome. Was it business or holiday that took you to so many places?"

Although Cain didn't intend to let the cat out of the bag just yet, he was definitely pleased with the lack of judgment for his statement. Believing someone as young as him was as traveled would be hard for some; not for Klaus, apparently.

"Lifestyle choice," he said, almost distracted for what Klaus had said. Far be it from him to ignore someone outright mentioning his city, his foundation that grew into an empire the world had never forgotten. "You've been to Rome? What did you think of it?"

Klaus and cynicism didn't walk hand in hand. They walked on opposited sides of the street in different directions and scowled at each other if they every crossed paths. Klaus was willing to believe a lot. He was a believing sort of man, unless you gave him reason to be otherwise. He particularly liked to believe the very best in people.

By comparison, someone who appeared to be only five or six years younger than himself being well-traveled was no stretch of the imagination. Maybe he was from a wealthy family. Maybe he was older than he looked.

"She's a fine city with a wealth of art, history and architecture, though I'm most partial to the opera house. Have you been as well?"

Seeing someone so full of faith in the people around him was refreshing. It was the sort of thing Cain didn't often see anymore except children, idiots, and those of exceptionally strong heart. Judging by the conversation, he was willing to believe it was the latter unless Klaus proved him otherwise. He was generous like that.

"Many times," Cain said wistfully. "Believe it or not, it's actually my hometown. Not where I was born, but where many of my formative years were spent."

"I envy you such a fine city to grow up in," Klaus admitted as he neatened up a display of orchids that were a very aggressive shade of primary yellow.

"Between the ruins of its past and the city of the present, it's near impossible not to walk down some alley without feeling like your stepping through history itself. You must have learned so much in your time there."

No wonder Cain was well traveled. If Klaus had grown up in Rome, everything there would have fueled his innate curiosity to simply see more.

"Did you visit the other provinces of Italy? Venice is something truly to admire as well."

There was a lot more to it than Cain was saying, of course, but the general idea was correct. That area was what he called home more than any Etruscan manor or European village he could no longer remember. Rome was a place of safety and Cain suspected nothing would ever change that for him, not as long as it still stood in some shape or form.

"It's left me with lessons I'll never forget, that's true," said Cain, head dipping to the side as if there was more he wasn't saying. Not exactly taunting, but it was hard to remain neutral when this topic came up. "Oh, of course. I've seen a little bit of everywhere. Not recently Venice, but I have."

Klaus noted that Cain was acting a bit coy, as though there were some piece of information he were holding on to and Klaus just wasn't asking the right questions. And it wasn't the same way Klaus artfully zig-zagged and dodged questions about his fangs either. It was like Cain wanted him to ask the question in just the right way and Klaus wasn't sure just what it was.

"I sadly haven't been back to Venice since I was thirteen. And last I was in Rome was about three years. How long has it been for you? I imagine traveling so much would make anyone homesick."

There were times Klaus missed the estate back in Germany. He could easily sympathize when it came to being homesick.

Asking the right questions was exactly what Cain was waiting for. It wouldn't do to just blurt out who or what he was to anyone who brought up something in relation; he wasn't stupid, just operating without the need for secrecy. Besides, not a lot of people really took well to the immortality thing no matter how cool they insist it would be. That was the balancing act that Cain ended up in, although it wasn't as precarious or tiring as all that.

"Last time I'd been there was with my wife for our anniversary," he said, thoughtfully. That still put it at almost forty years ago but placed it in a reasonable, relative timeframe. Recently for Cain, and likely to imply the same for Klaus. "Still as beautiful as it ever was, though."

Just because it wasn't the same didn't make it any less precious. That was something that a lot of people had a hard time understanding, he'd found. Rome was his, and he would love it just as much as he did when at its height as he does now and will in the future no matter how much it aged or rejuvenated. A father's love, in a way.

That confirmed at least one thing Klaus had suspected. Cain was likely a bit older than he looked. Klaus had originally put him in his early twenties, but now he suspected Cain was around his own age - perhaps older. Cain wasn't the first person Klaus had met afflicted with a bad case of baby-face.

"Ah, I congratulate you on your anniversary. How long have you been married, if you don't mind me asking?"

He asked because such things were a source of happiness to Klaus. People finding joy in one another warmed his little heart and gave him some hope there was good reason to fight his way through the nightmare that was Jerusalem's Lot.

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