The gentle pattering of rain annoyed her. It mocked her. It pushed her down in the mud and laughed in her face. To say that she hated the rain would be an understatement. Although she didn't use to hate the rain. The rain used to comfort her. She would go out into it and look up into the sky and pray for escape. Well, her escape came, but in the process, she found out that her parents were robots, her sister was an evil witch, it was her fault her sister was an evil witch, she was a princess, and a whole bunch of other stuff she'd rather not get into right now. She sighed. It was too much. It was all just too much for her to handle. And her friends…her friends were no longer by her side; no longer helping her out, helping her cope. Glitch, Ambrose now, was off advising her mother. Raw went home to help his people. And Cain…She sighed again. This was pitiful. She stood and walked through the corridors and out the castle. And she walked. She didn't stop, she just let the rain pelt her and ruin her dress. She didn't like it anyway. Eventually, she cleared the walls of Central City and was out in the wilderness. Frankly, she was surprised at the fact that no one stopped her yet. Of course, maybe the rain had something to do with it.
The castle was in chaos. Every nook and cranny was being searched for any trace of the Princess. Ambrose was going out of his mind with worry. He saw what was happening with her, but he pushed to the back of his head, hoping that it was just an adjustment phase. Apparently, he was wrong. She had disappeared. And it was raining, no one would be out in the rain, so no one would have seen her. The Queen was talking to an old Tin Man. She thought that she should bring in someone who would be able to find her. Ambrose thought this was a brilliant idea. He walked swiftly over to the Queen and suggested bringing in Raw. He should know too.
He was busy building a fire in his cottage. Slowly coaxing it to life, he couldn't help but feel unsettled. He couldn't place the reason why either. Until someone was pounding on his door. He opened it to be surprised by his son. He was pushed out of the way by his son and he started to pace the small room. Finally, Jeb spat out what was bothering him. He stiffened and was about to go get his coat when someone else pounded on his door. He yanked it open to be face to face with an old friend. His old friend took one look at his face and nodded. His old friend shifted to reveal two horses and he was out of there and on a horse, galloping for the City.
Her dress was muddied and soaking wet, her shoes discarded long ago. Finally, she came across a small alcove in the forest. Wandering over to a tree, she leaned against it and slid down to sit on the ground. Small. She felt so small and hopeless. Curling into herself, she started to weep; her tears mixing with the rain.
He was frantic. Ambrose watched him as he scanned the City. While Ambrose was frantic for a best friend that he had neglected, Cain was searching for a love that he thought was unrequited. Which it wasn't. But he wasn't going to bring that up right then. As soon as that thought danced through his mind, Cain was off of the wall and running through the castle with Ambrose and the Princess's royal guard on his tail. He was slightly sorry that Raw wasn't there, but it was too far away. The journey to his homeland was three days away at a good nonstop pace, stopping only for the night. This was one adventure to be had without him.
My Angel. Oh my angel. Where are you? You have all of us worried. Why didn't you tell me what was happening? We could have helped. We could have helped.
The sound of hoofs pounding the ground jolted her out of her nightmare. She shuddered and stood, moving further into the forest and returning to a curled position when she could no longer hear the horses.
Where are you, Princess? Please, a sign that you're ok. Please forgive me for not being there. I want to apologize, but I need you here so that I can do it. I need you. I thought I could hide from it, but I can't. I need you. I love you. Please.
He closed his eyes and let his head drop to rest on his chest. Ambrose watched sadly as Cain dropped further into despair. Cain sucked in a huge breath through his nose and got off of his horse, his shoes making a splutching noise as they landed in the mud. And he walked. Confused, Ambrose got off of his horse and followed, waving to the guard to stay put. They wandered through the forest until Cain tripped on something. Looking down, he muttered a indistinct sound and looked around. He looked at Ambrose and held up Dg's shoes. Ambrose nodded. Cain unlatched the clasps and hooked them on his belt loop. With that, he started to walk again.
If you disappear, you'll be hurting a lot more people than you realize. Me, your mother, your father, your sister, Raw. You'll also probably take a certain Tin Man with you if it turns out that you're gone. I hope you've considered this.
Leave me alone. Please, just leave me alone. I can hear you. I can hear you all. But where were you when I need you the most? Where were you when everything was said and done? Where you ever truly my friends?
Cain froze mid-step. Abruptly, he turned and started running. Follow your heart. From a long time ago, he recalled something the Mystic Man said. At the time, he thought he was talking about Adora. But now…now he knew that his second chance at life was dwindling quickly with the amount of time that she was out here.
Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall.
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.
All the king's horses and all the king's men
Couldn't put Humpty together again.
Just like my life. Just like me. Nothing left to do but let go.
Cain and Ambrose broke through the clearing. Cain didn't even pause, he knew where she was. Stumbling through the brush, he stopped at the sight before him.
"Hey there princess."
She curled up tighter and ignored him. He moved over to where she was a sat next to her. Ambrose faded back into the trees and went to find the Royal Guard. Cain sighed and rested his hand on her head. Slowly, he started to stroke her hair, gazing out into his own little world. Realizing that he wasn't going anywhere, she uncurled and sat up. Cain looked over at her and watched her sigh. Inside himself, he was torn. Part of him was jumping up in down for joy that she was ok, and another part was sulking in the corner with his hat pulled over his eyes, worried about her behavior and concerned that she was withdrawing.
"Stop staring." Cain sniffed and replied.
"I think I should be able to stare if I want to." She glared at him, then returned her gaze to the tree across the way. "I'm speaking honestly here. You scared the hell out of me."
"Why should you care? Nobody really cares."
"You don't really believe that."
"Sure I do." He clenched his jaw and shifted on the wet ground. He opened his mouth to speak, then closed it. Reaching up, he removed his hat and dropped it on her head. Her head swiveled to glare at him. He looked skyward before looking down at her.
"You know? I have a story. I think you'll like it."
"Sure." Sarcasm dripped from her voice. Ignoring it, he pressed on.
"So anyway. A long time ago…" He was cut off by her growling.
"I swear if it's one of those fairytales about how everything ends happily ever after and hunky dory, I'll take your gun from you and shoot you." He blinked and asked,
"What's hunky dory?" She raised her hands to her face and let them smack against it. "I don't suggest doing that. You'll get a headache." She glared at him. "Fine. A long time ago, this man I knew was having some problems. Really bad problems. His life was essentially falling apart around him, wife gone, child gone, and he was on this downward spiral. He wouldn't talk to any of us. He just kept it inside of him and let it eat away at him until he broke. It was sad, really, to watch this great man, a good friend and a loyal Tin Man suffer so much and lose it completely. He died a week later after going into the wrong part of the forest." He stopped there, neither moving nor talking. She looked over at him when he stopped talking.
"That's it?"
"That's it."
"Well that ending sucked." He found himself looking skyward once more as he answered.
"That was the point."
"Really."
"Really." She looked into the side of his head, almost boring holes into it.
"Why would you tell me such a depressing story when I'm already depressed?"
"You're a smart kid. Figure it out yourself." She let her breath out between her teeth and muttered,
"I hate you." But she sat there and thought about.
"I pretend I didn't hear that." A few minutes later, she sighed.
"I think what you're trying to tell me is that I should have talked to someone. But you try being abandoned by your friends when you needed them the most, then come back and tell me how you feel." She poked him roughly on the last few words. Sighing, he caught her finger on the last poke and both of them froze. It felt like someone had stuck them in the middle of the desert and said, "Good luck." and then left.
"DG?"
"Yeah?"
"You feel this, right?"
"Oh yeah."
"You guys are one huge headache." They both blinked at the new addition.
"Pardon me?" Cain's mouth was slightly open and DG's eyes were as wide as saucers. Standing in front of the two was the Mystic Man.
"You know, for a while there at the beginning of my adventure, I could have sworn I was crazy. I adjusted my views when no one was fazed by it. But now? Now I know I'm crazy. I saw you being killed." Cain merely sat there.
"You are not crazy. By the way, before I forget, that, is a very nice look for you."
"What?"
"The hat. Complements your look."
"Mystic Man, before we lose sight of this apparent craziness, if you are dead, then how come you're standing here in front of us?"
"Magic." Cain rolled his eyes and muttered,
"Of course." DG nudged him slightly then returned her gaze to the man before them.
"Please, continue."
"As I said before, you guys give me these awful headaches. Why don't you just go find a dark alcove or something, get it over with."
"What?" DG exclaimed while Cain had turned an unhealthy shade of red.
"Well it's as plain as the two suns in the sky that you are attracted to Wyatt and that Wyatt, you're attracted to DG." There's an awkward pause. "Well it's obvious to everyone but you two. But it's obvious now." Receiving blank looks, he massaged his temples and grimaced. "This is why I get headaches. This is why I get ulcers. This is why my doctor tells me that I should go on a diet. She had to of picked me."
"Who is that?" Cain picked up on the last bit of muttering.
"Hm? Oh, just an old friend that could tell the future. You know what? Forget it. If you two want to live in denial and live in agony for the rest of your lives, fine by me!" With that exclamation, he disappeared.
"This is too weird." She didn't receive a reply, so she looked over at Cain to find him gazing intently at her face. He raised his hand and let it rest on her cheek. Leaning into his touch, she sighed. Gently, he pressed his lips to hers. When they pulled apart, he rested his forehead against hers.
"I'm sorry I wasn't there for you." She shifted closer to him and captured his lips with hers.
"That's ok. I'm sorry for running away and scaring you."He pulled her into a hug and rested his cheek against the top of her head.
"That's ok." They both sighed at the same time and closed their eyes, drifting off into a peaceful sleep, the first one they've had since their seperation.
Ambrose, meanwhile had forgotten (occasionally, he still had lapses) where the royal guard was waiting and had taken to wandering around until he found them. He was succesful and lead them to where DG and Cain slept. Upon reaching them, everyone let out a soft aww, before walking over to them and gently shaking Cain's shoulder. He woke and looked at the men, nodded and stood up, gracefully picking DG up at the same time. They made their way back to the horses and mounted them. Briefly, DG woke up, but Cain leaned down and whispered into her ear to sleep. So she did. But not before a thought drifted through her mind.
Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall.
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.
All the king's horses and all the king's men
Couldn't put Humpty together again.
Apparently, the king didn't know Cain.
