After the first incident, now knowing what to look for, Cain recognises that the monsters in human skin are everywhere.

Stalking stragglers on their way home from the bar.

Snatching children from under their parent's noses at the park.

Lurking within rivers and close to the shore to drag unsuspecting individuals in.

How did he ever miss them?

When he is certain that there is no one in the vicinity, bar himself and one of the abominations, Cain hunts.

He tracks them down and collects their blood which he then places in small glass jars that he keeps on him at all times, he has been caught unawares once - never again. He has to be careful, without fail the machines always self destruct when killed so he chips away at their defences, gradually siphoning off the resources he needs before finishing the job. It's terribly boring when one has been playing with the same machine for a while, like kicking a dead man, but it's effective and the rewards are more than worth it so he continues.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

He is fifteen when he meets his first exorcist, well, it's not really an event that one would typically classify as a meeting. More of a watching from a distance kind of event.

The man is tall - and would more than likely tower over Cain's measly height of five foot two - with long, vibrant crimson hair. Stood on the roof of a building to the man's right Cain can see that he wears a white half mask on the side of his face.

But no, as strange as the man's appearance is - though Cain has most definitely seen worse - the factor of this equation that really gains his attention is the thing standing across from the redhead.

A monster.

The man sighs before a smirk steals all other expression from his face, "OY! Stupid apprentice!" he shouts, glancing behind him, a building blocks Cain's view of said apprentice but he disregards this as he leans closer to hear what the man is about to say.

"Listen closely, 'caus I'm not going to repeat myself, even for an idiot like you," the man reaches into his pocket and draws out a handgun which he then points at the demon. Cain's eyes narrow, he knows - from previous experiences - that guns have no effect on the abominations so why does this man seem so confident?

"I told you before about akuma right?" Questions the man, still ignoring the metal ball, "and you've had personal experience, as we saw with that whole freak out and shit," he casually cocks his gun before levelling it at the slow approaching monster, " well this is what happens when you add a little innocence,"

All is silent save for a single shot of gunfire.

The bullet hits.

The monster falls.

The redhead takes all of this in stride, casual once more as he swings on his heel to supposedly face his apprentice. " Innocence is an anti-akuma weapon that can only be used by an accommodator, the people who house it. It can take the form of a weapon," he gestures to the gun, still smoking and held loose in his grasp, "which is known as being an equipment type. Or as a part of the accommodator, which is known as a parasitic type of innocence. Innocence is a purification tool, if you kill an akuma its soul will be purified and released to the afterlife and all that shit. Get that idiot apprentice?"

Cain leans on the balcony of the roof he rests upon, a frown marrying his features, he has a lot to consider.

Also to factor in is the fact that even standing here, so far away he's beginning to feel a stirring of sorts. He's not quite sure why but prolonging his exposure to this strange man seems to worsen the itch, and he theorizes that should he stay for much longer the itch will become a problem.

He almost likens it to his first encounter with a church.

(But why? What links this man and the church?)

He stands, idly flipping a stray coin over his knuckles, and glances back toward the man.

Who looks right back.

The rooftop is empty before the penny hits the floor, lazily rotating before coming to a sudden sharp stop.

(Cain never realises how close he was to a friend)

(Red never realises how close he was to a friend)