Disclaimer: I own nothing in the Tin Man 'verse. Nothing and no one. Because (at the moment) I'm playing only with the Sci-Fi original characters.
The sight of a once proud man, so full life, now deathly pale and showing obvious signs of drug use hit Cain with all the grace of a large caliber bullet. He'd spent long years protecting the wise man, all the while being treated like the man's son. Given advice, taught important life lessons and counseled on any problems he'd had, their relationship had been more familial than of employer and employee.
The man who'd walked Adora down the aisle at their wedding now shook like a leaf in the wind. And the change was startling.
He looked over at DG as a way to avoid that line of thought. At her crumpled face and sad eyes. She'd hoped to find answers to her many questions. Instead she found a broken old man, trapped without his faculties by a magical elixir. The desire to comfort her rose up within him, but he quickly and ruthlessly shoved it away. Instead he moved past her, to address the man he'd known so long ago.
The old man's face was a mass of mingled grief, pain, confusion and shame. Cain could see the man's hands restlessly clench and unclench as the vapors began to withdraw the veil from his mind. It would be a painful and slow process for the magic to dissipate from his bloodstream, but eventually he could be that man so worth admiring once more.
He tried to comfort the other man, steeling himself against the way his eyes went right through him. As if he wasn't there. Knowing it was imperative that DG found what she was looking for, but still not wanting to cause the old man more pain than was necessary, he attempted to buy time. But the woman in the dress behind him reminded him swiftly that time was one of the many things they did not have.
He sighed heavily through clenched teeth, hating how little control he had over the whole situation. Cain got to his feet with a smooth economy of movement, allowing DG to take his place in front of the Mystic Man. And with frustration thrumming down to his bones, he went to check the hallway, to keep an eye out for more Longcoats.
The halting conversation that took place between DG and the old man made a sharp ache begin in the middle of his chest. Her beseeching tone that accompanied her questions, his stuttering, illogical bouts of laughter and inane ramblings tore through the former tin man.
The sound of a slap made him whip his head around in a flash. Only to find the old man blinking in shock and DG throwing her hands up in dismay over her action. Luckily however, the sudden blow seemed to have a visible effect on the man. After another blink, the old man's eyes caught on her left hand, on the mark there. Arthritic hands grabbed her small one in a flash. The sight of lucidity once more in the man's grey eyes eased the pang in Cain's chest somewhat. He turned back to look down the corridor, only to turn back to stare at the pair once more.
Lavender eyes? Those two words hit him like the kick of an ornery mule straight to the chest, knocking the breath right out of him. Her mother's eyes were lavender? Lavender eyes? Eyes… The thoughts chased each other around and around his mind in his shock. If he'd have been able to speak at that second he didn't doubt he'd have sounded like Zipperhead did when he misfired.
He looked over at that exact individual, only to find the same intense shock he felt plastered across the other man's face. They both knew what that meant. Who the only person in the O.Z. with lavender eyes was. Amorphous thoughts did in that instant. Hopes, that he knew were false, rose to attempt to revive them, and were quickly dashed by the reality of it all.
He went to hurry her away, trying to ignore the realization that was determined to rear its ugly head. She protested as his hand closed on her upper arm, calling him by name. A name that caught the old man's attention.
Cain was grabbed and shaken with surprising strength by the Mystic Man. Lucidity lit the once dull grey eyes into a silver color as they bored into his own blues. But he could see in his frantic movements that the vapors still clung to the man's mind. So when reminded once more of his previous calling, he spoke slowly, reminding him that times had changed all over.
Zipperhead called for his attention, giving him the excuse he wanted to free himself of the man's steely grip. Vaguely, he registered the old man mentioning the Northern Island, before he caught sight of Zero and a red haze threatened to cloud his vision. It was easier this time to ignore the intense hatred and urge to waltz over to him and plant a fist in the man's smug face, knowing he had to keep his head. At least for a few moments more.
He ran to the window, sliding it open. Breathing a silent sigh of relief when it opened effortlessly and revealed a ladder down into an empty alleyway. Ordering Zipperhead and Furball to head out, he hurried back to get DG and order he to follow the other two.
With Zero so near he knew he could do some damage, if not kill him and several of his men. He'd be able to give DG and the other two valuable time to get away, and fulfill his revenge. But the old man stopped him, forcing him to face who DG really was. Of how important to the future of the O.Z. she was.
The Mystic Man wrangled an oath out of him to stay with her. The supposed wizard knew that he'd protect her with his life, and by demanding Cain's word that he was giving her the best chance she had to succeed. At a mission she'd yet to discover.
He watched with a grimace as the older man flashed a tight but toothy grin, clapped him on the shoulder and opened the door to confront the Longcoats. The message was clear, do your part and I'll do mine. Gladly.
Cain closed his eyes and sighed, still trying to reconcile the startling new information with what he'd thought he'd already known. Damn it all. He'd hoped… with a grimace he climbed out the window to follow DG.
Hope was, after all, a fickle thing.
