River was looking for penguins. She loved to watch them, and thought she ought to see as many as she could while it was cold enough to have them around. A man declaring himself crazy without even seeming to notice her made her pause.
"Are you? I always wondered what going crazy looked like, from the outside. It's not at all what I expected."
She realized that she was probably being rude, commenting on the degree of a stranger's insanity.
"Sorry. Do you need any help?"
If he was actually crazy, she didn't expect an honest answer, but at least she could try to help. She did know a lot about craziness.
Cain paused to bend over and brush the snow from his trousers, not even caring that they were caked with dirt, blood, and the grime of winning back a realm. He peered past the brim of his hat at the girl and gave her a muster of a smile. "I'm just having issues with the weather," was his hesitant admittance, straightening. "Wyatt Cain," he introduced himself, haltingly.
After all this time, he was still pretty gods-damned bad at the social aspects of the world.
"Too many of them," Cain grumbled, kicking out the ice from his shoes and glancing up to look her over, wondering just what kind of world she'd come from. "I'm just hoping another isn't out to find me, here."
DG knew the island's version of cold had nothing on the brutal slice of a January wind across the prairie, but it still got the job done. After months of balmy warmth and a week of swealtering heat, the cold still sunk into her bones sure as anything.
The snow was melting a bit today, and she was glad she'd worn the red rain boots ("wellies," Coraline called the,) for her trek to the conpound for a hot shower. Her hair was still a bit damp under the shawl she'd wrapped over her head and Cain would probably lecture her if he knew, but he'd been so preoccupied of late she was betting on being able to get away with it. Until she spotted him on the trail ahead, of course. DG considered doubling back quietly to avoid any nagging, but that impulse died at the "crazy" delcaration.
"Cain?" she said, almost tentative, as she approached and reached out to place a mittened hand on his arm. "What's happened?"
Cain lifted his head to find DG and managed a weary smile as he reached a hand to place on her back protectively, getting a bit of balance as he stomped the snow and ice from his boots and trousers. "Just checking on the Suit," he promised. "You haven't seen Jonas, have you? Lately?"
She considered the question with a frown, then shook her head. "Not for a couple days, no." DG looked off into the woods, and for the first time in a while found herself wondering if something was going to jump out at them. "Any particular reason you're checking on it today?"
"Jonas hasn't been around," Cain grumbled his admittance and hadn't wanted to think about him going. "And with the weather, I don't know what's going on." He didn't even want to admit aloud that he could even consider it a possibility that Zero might be somewhere out there.
Donna was trudging through the snow back to the boardwalk when she spotted the man. She only paused because he seemed momentarily stuck in the snow. And even though he didn't exactly seem to be welcoming company, by the time he composed himself and made the comment about being crazy, she found herself agreeing, "I can relate to that."
Cain stood there brushing at his icy legs, glancing up past the brim of his hat to glimpse the woman over, giving her a curt (polite as he could be) nod of his head. He knew he really shouldn't be talking about crazy when Glitch was home being...well, a zipperhead, but it was just how he felt. "You feeling like you can never get warm?" he offered.
"Something like that," Donna admitted, wrapping her arms a little tighter around her. She actually wasn't all that warm, all wrapped up in her fur-lined coat. "This whole place is enough to drive you a little bonkers, yeah?"
Cain felt exhausted enough after the life he had endured and this was just another span of life that he didn't want to go through. "My son not being here sort of helps with that."
"Are you all right, Mr. Cain?" Azkadellia watched him carefully for a while before coming over and putting a careful hand on his arm. Before noticing him she had been out enjoying the snow. It reminded her of the Northern Island and all of the fun she had there and she couldn't fully understand how anyone else could dislike the island's turn to colder weather.
Cain was trying to get himself warm by thinking of the normal climate or of that fever he'd had, but nothing was doing the trick at all. At least with Azkadellia near, he could ignore all that to worry about her. "Just checking on the Iron Suit, Princess, don't you worry."
She didn't believe a word of that and it showed on her face. Adults always thought anyone younger than them just wouldn't notice simple things. It was a bit patronizing really. "You said you were going crazy.
Cain let out a long sigh at that, not exactly wanting to discuss the matters of his head with everyone. "No matter where I go," he mumbled, keeping his voice down. "I keep thinking it's a lot colder than it really is. Indoors and out, both."
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"Are you? I always wondered what going crazy looked like, from the outside. It's not at all what I expected."
She realized that she was probably being rude, commenting on the degree of a stranger's insanity.
"Sorry. Do you need any help?"
If he was actually crazy, she didn't expect an honest answer, but at least she could try to help. She did know a lot about craziness.
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After all this time, he was still pretty gods-damned bad at the social aspects of the world.
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She observed the man's state, and decided he did seem to be in need of some kind of assistance.
"You look like you've had an adventure."
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The snow was melting a bit today, and she was glad she'd worn the red rain boots ("wellies," Coraline called the,) for her trek to the conpound for a hot shower. Her hair was still a bit damp under the shawl she'd wrapped over her head and Cain would probably lecture her if he knew, but he'd been so preoccupied of late she was betting on being able to get away with it. Until she spotted him on the trail ahead, of course. DG considered doubling back quietly to avoid any nagging, but that impulse died at the "crazy" delcaration.
"Cain?" she said, almost tentative, as she approached and reached out to place a mittened hand on his arm. "What's happened?"
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