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Jean managed to get away from the medbay long enough to dress herself in a change of clothes. And then she was gone enough for her to actually make it out the front door without being seen and the long winding walkway that exits the perimeter of the compound and then to the city ahead. There was a little reservation about going outside; PTSD more like it, though she swallowed that fear for the search of Logan that takes her to not one bar, but many.
This one, in Mutant Town, was going to be a little bit harder to get into. She was tired, her arms felt like spaghetti, her head was pounding due to her forgetting to at least borrow some money from Piotr or anyone she ran into. She was hungry. And thirsty. She couldn't reach the public bubblers that she's found in the park and gave up due to being slightly ashamed.
As for now, the Bouncer stood in her way of entry. Even holding up the sheet of paper wouldn't get the big guy to budge.
"Just please. Tell me if you've seen him. Was he here? Did he ever come here in the past? Do you know his name? Is he there now?" Eventually, she was going to have to reach out to someone so she could go home, but this was the last place on her list. And she was aching.
*
The bouncer's about to shove the girl out the door when an even bigger hand lands on his shoulder and squeezes. The trapezius muscle of the guy is as big as a hamhock, but this other fella is now squeezing down on it and making the big hairy bouncer's eyes bulge.
Cain pokes his head out of the bar and says, "Let the kid in and ask around. Stop bein' a dick. Less you want your spine liquefied," he says, letting go. Roughhouse was pretty tough normally, but even he could tell that Cain had him far outclassed.
"Go on, git, I ain't seen that mook in a dog's age…"
*
There was a little look of relief upon Jean's face, her shoulders slumping, all redfaced as she begins to push her way inside. It was a tight fit, the chair catching upon the door, promptly shoving the bigger bouncer out of the way as she tries to back up, move forward, back up, move forward again to no avail. The picture was laid into her lap as she begins to struggle, her arms shaking as she glances up towards Cain with a bit of a frown. "I.. I'll just stay here.."
Though.. hearing that the man hasn't seen him in an age or two.. this does give Jean a little bit of hope. "He left.. three days ago maybe? Well, left me.. at any case. I'm just looking for him. I need to find him."
*
Cain puts a hand on Jean's back, "C'mon in, kid. Roy, get a glass o' water fer the little lady," he says. He lifts her chair up and over the threshhold with one hand, pushing her up to a table and moving to stand around the other side. He's massive, his shoulder falling like a colossus over the room. A bird-headed man in the corner flexes his feathers as he looks at him. They're all afraid of him. They should be.
"Who's this fella to you? Yer daddy? Boyfriend?" he asks.
*
"Wo-whup!"
She nearly flails as Cain lifts her up so effortlessly, her hands flailing and catching onto the armrests until he sets her down by the table. The paper was soon gripped from her lap and sat atop of it, her hands smoothing over the surface to dust away crumbs and then wipe grease upon her skirt. A quick glance around the room showed mutants of many colors, shapes, and sizes. There was even one that hung upon the wall like a lizard who managed to drink his beer with a lick of his tongue.
Jean was mystified.
"Huh? Oh! No.. well, he's like a father. Yes. My best friend. My protector.. I guess.." She looks a little sad, then glances up as Roy delivers the water, sans ice. Which.. is what she needed. The glass was immediately snatched and the water quickly drunk, her eyes closing as she sighs heavily.
*
Cain grabs a seat of his own, a bench pulled from a nearby table, the kind usually meant to sit three or four people. It barely holds his weight, straining obviously and bowing in the middle.
"Ain't doin' much protectin' if you don't know where he is. You think somethin' bad happened to 'im or did he just…wander off?" he says. "Looks old enough to be responsible fer himself. Maybe he don't wanna get found, although purty girl like you, seems like it'd be his loss."
*
Cain says, "Even if you are a crip."
*
"He.. just got angry and stormed off." Jean confesses. Part of it feels like it's all her fault. Though he would tell her outright to not put that on her. "Can.. can I have some more water please?" She holds the glass out towards Roy, who promptly rounds his way from the bar to carefully take from her fingers to refill.
"I.. I know he.. well I don't know but.." She frowns slightly. She really couldn't explain it to this big fellow. Though, she does look down towards her legs and frowns. "It's only temporary. I was injured." She clears her throat then. "So, have you seen him around here?"
*
Cain shakes his head, "Can't say I have. Seen his type, but not the man himself," he says. The water is delivered as Cain sits back. His thoughts are roiling constantly, the chaos god within him unstable and monstrous as it's housed in his once-human flesh.
"Injured, huh? Don't suppose he mighta gotten a little angry at himself fer lettin' it happen? You did say he was yer protector. Ain't doin' a great job protectin' if yer gettin' broken."
*
Jean sighs a little, her hand drawn behind her neck to rub out the kinks with a slight little frown. As her hands lower, she lifts herself slightly from her chair, adjusting her hips from sitting so long, even though her arms wobble and threaten to give out. She wasn't going to read the man; she was starting to figure out now that her own powers and cosmic burden was just that. A burden. Even showing an inkling of it could possibly get her taken again. She was legit afraid.
"I.. think so.." She quietly comments, her hands lifting to wipe a little away at her face as she puts on a smile. "Though, I think because of who I am he was set up for failure even before he began.." She smiles a little, then hitches her shoulders up. "What's your name?"
*
Cain snorts, "Meanin' you got too many people out to hurt you to begin with, it's gonna happen inevitably? Makes sense, I guess. You rich, girl? Folks tryin' to kidnap ya?" he asks. "Cause you don't seem the type to make a lot o' enemies," he says.
"My name's Cain Marko," he says. "Some folks call me the Juggernaut. I kinda like that."
*
"I think so.." Jean responds, waiting until Roy delivers the water so that she could take it down in one grip of the glass. It was helping her empty stomach, it no longer growled or hurt, and it didn't feel empty. Which means she could get home without stopping at another place to grab a bite to eat. "I'm not rich." She says. "The man that I live with is. Though I don't think … well, it's completely different than that."
She finally breaks out into a little giggle at the big man's name. Her hand lifting to cover her mouth as she gives a slight shake of her head. "Nuh uh.." She pulls away from the table, then wheels herself closer, as if getting a better look at him would actually confirm his name. "Now why in the world would they give you a dang'ol name like that?"
*
Cain laughs, "Oh, you live with a man, huh? What man you live with that makes you a target?" he says.
"They call me the Juggernaut cause I can't be stopped. Cause anything you put in my way, I can knock it down. Cause I'm the strongest thing on this damn planet or, at least, the strongest I ever found. Maybe I'll find another, someday. We'll see," he says.
*
"Well yeah, me and my friend did. Do. And a slew of others. It's like a boarding school of sorts, out in Westchester. I.. don't know if it makes me a target persay but.. I try to help people when I can.. which is mostly can't, and then.. things like this happen." She gestures at the wheelchair. But, it was let go, in favor of his name.
"That's.. uh.." Yeah, she had nothing else to say about that. "Why not call you.. just Cain. I mean, Cain is a way better name than Juggernaut. In a way, it's rare and biblical. It has meaning." Jean was thinking -way- too hard about this, but she was just glad that she made a friend.
*
Cain considers her words. Well, wasn't that just a pickle. He didn't figure there were too many other boarding schools in Westchester, the kind of places where special kids went to stay. Not surprising if she was looking around mutant dives.
"You're one of Charles' kids," he says with a smirk, "Well. Ain't that a kick in the head. You can call me Cain if ya like, that's just fine. If yer goin' to my brother's school, I figure we oughtta be on a friendly basis. Even if he and I ain't."
*
"Huh?" Well, that was a change of events! Jean looked to the bigger man, completely dumbfounded, so much so that she was idly rubbing her cheek as she stared at him. "He's your brother.."
Wow. Even though she never asked, she never would have thought that the Professor would have had a brother. "I.. wow!" Her hand strikes out, lighting fast, her fingers splayed and thumb outright. She wanted to shake his hand. "Well it is very nice to meet you, Cain Marko, my name is Jean Grey. And yes. Lets be friends! I mean, its really an honor! Its so odd! He's.. really, really tiny and you are this really huge man! With all of those muscles!"
*
Cain laughs, "He is tiny, ain't he?" he says, reaching out, "Well, I weren't always like this. And we ain't technically related. My dad married his mama, so we're…step-brothers," he says. "Got along like it, too. I didn't take too kindly to him rummagin' in my head when I was young. Wasn't any of his business," he says, a little bit of a harsh turn to his voice.
"But our…sister has been trying to change my mind about him. At least a little bit."
*
She takes his h.. well, finger, then gives it a right.. well.. she tries to shake it. But, close enough. Since she couldn't budge him, she reaches over to pat the back of his hand, then allows hers to rest into her lap. "Oh oh oh.. I see.." Her lips purse quietly. "I'm actually just like your brother." Jean says quietly, a little bit of a wince given. "Though, I can move stuff too. Now don't ask me to move you, I think I might burst a blood vessel in my eye." She laughs then, finally relaxing.
"So wait.. you .. he has a sister too?" Man.. the inner cosmic phoenix in her head was also reeling. In fact, there was a moment of quiet from Jean as her and the bird commune. Though, if anyone were to listen, it would be Jean explaining the relation of brother, sister, step brother, step sister, and all that entails. Plus, Jean would internally squee because it's just adorable that she's actually met Uncle Cain!
"So, Uncle Cain.."
'You actually called him Uncle!' Says the bird.
"..why do you and him have bad blood? Maybe I can help. I want to be a psychologist when I .. graduate. Which.. well should be soon actually."
*
Cain raises an eyebrow, "Oh yeah? Well, just stay out of my head, then. I don't take kindly to it," he says.
He snorts, "Uncle? Is Charles your Daddy? Or just your sugar daddy?" he snorts, "No offense, kiddo, but I ain't reallly a spill yer guts kinda guy. He knows what he did an' that's all that matters. Me and him'll settle it face to face. Soon enough," he says.
*
"You shouldn't really tell people to stay out of your head. You tell people to stay out of your head, they'd want to get into your head to see what you're hiding."
But, she shrugs her shoulders. "I mean, no he's not my sugar daddy. But he is part of where I get my tuition from. Though I could say.. Professor Marko.." She thinks about this for a moment. "Honestly, I don't know what honorifics you'd give to a person who's a professor. But he's like family, so.. his family by extension should be considered such, right?" Though, since he wasn't going to spill, she wasn't going to pry. "And.. I suppose it would be.. kind of out of line to ask if I could borrow at least three dollars to get dinner.."
*
Cain chuckles, "I don't think it works that way. You can just call me Cain. Don't even need a Mister,' he says. "Good of him to help ya, although I never fully trust the idea that he ain't gettin' nothin' out of it," he sighs.
"You seem like a good kid. Consider the meal on me. Hell, while we're at it, get me a couple o' steaks an' some taters while you're at it, plus whatever the little chick wants."
*
"It should. You deserve an honorary too, you know." Jean smiles warmly towards the large man, though she does give a faint nod. "He didn't find me in the best of conditions.." She confesses quietly, but she tries her best to not dwell on the fact. She doesn't know if Charles is getting anything out of her predicament, but her life has been filled since she's met him.
As Cain puts in the order, Roy immediately begins to bark his own so that the cooks in the back could get to work. All the while, Jean watches with amusement as she turns, then looks back to Cain and wheels herself close enough so that her little knee could touch his big knee. "I want.. taters!" She calls out, trying her best to contain her laughter. "And.. two pieces of fried chicken!" For some reason, this excites her. Even the color is drawing back upon her cheek.
"So, Cain.." She says, attempting her best to be polite. "What in the world did you do to get the nickname Juggernaut?"
*
Cain considers for a moment and then just tells the truth, "After I…became what I am," he says, "I ended up facin' off with this army. A battalion, really, a rogue warlord lookin' to loot what he could, sell it to Westerners. This was in Egypt," he says.
"They told me to hand over the Ruby - or they'd shoot me. I gave them a choice. They could get out of my way. Or they could get run over. Eight tanks, 150 men, every one of them armed to the teeth," he says, taking a beer as Roy hands it to them.
"They got run over."
*
Jean listens for a time. Roy was a gracious host who delivered a glass of iced water to the table, which she takes and quietly nurses with a few, relieved sips here and there. The beer was topped off, just so that Roy can slack in his attendance, and Jean was riveted in the story. Brief as it was.
"C.. can I see?" She asks, slowly lifting her hand towards his. "I can't ask you to demonstrate, I can't ask you to describe, but I want to see the world as you saw it. I want to see Egypt."
*
Cain considers for a moment, "I dunno how safe it is. Be careful. Just know that…I ain't the only one in my head now. And the other one in there…he ain't as nice as me. And I ain't that nice," he says, nodding his head as he offers permission for her to look at his memory.
*
The Egyptian air was soaked in sand and blood. More blood thundered in his ears, his own heartbeat so loud. Cain's body still felt thick and bloated, the power in him fresh. His eyes glowed crimson as he bore down on them, spearing into the first tank and sending it flying. There were screams everywhere.
And then his hands came down hard, blasting through a rank of men. Some of them died, surely, but Cain didn't care. They threatened him, they threatened Cyttorak, they were nothing, nothing but ants to be crushed beneath their heels.
*
For some reason, Jean wasn't bothered by the images. There were things that Logan has done that she picked up on that were worse. A few glimpses here and there of the minds that resided within the walls of the mansion that seemed an all too terrible life past lived. But she could feel that boiling anger, how that person inside of there wasn't nice, how the person that it rides wasn't nice as well. But he was showing her a genuine kindness. Funny that..
Her hand slowly pulls away from his, the breaking of contact with his mind and hand gentle, her own inner demons reveling at the thought.. the destruction, the raw power that she's privy to..
"Don't even think about it, woman.." Jean murmurs to herself. "Learn.. love.." She quietly chants to herself, her hand pressed ot her chest, her eyes suddenly afixed upon Cain with an unearthly glow of red. Fire. "The one that's inside of me is almost like the one that's inside of you. But.. she's much nicer." She teases. And just then, the food arrives.
*
Cain considers, "Odd, that," he says. The glow in her eyes doesn't make him flinch - he's long past flinching from things. But he can certainly feel the potency of that gaze. "Guess you might be even more'n Charlie prob'ly thinks you are. I bet he sees the lost little girl, desperately in need o' his guidance. He don't know that not everybody needs him holdin' their hand and makin' 'em feel better," he says.
"It don't bother you, knowin' what I done?"
*
"He knows." She quietly says. With the food in front of her, she pulls back the chair so that she could turn it, attempting to avoid bumping his leg but after what she's seen? She has a feeling that it wouldn't hurt. Her fork and knife were taken up, the chicken cut into, sliding the meat off the bone as she shakes her head. "I do.. we do need our hand held. Me and her." She says quietly, as if it were a secret. As she speaks, the glow slowly fades, but it was obvious it left her tired.
"She doesn't know much about the world and I want to teach her. But how can I teach her when I've spent almost the entirety of my life locked up in a mental institution?" She looks towards Cain, then sighs. "And for that reason alone.. no. It doesn't bother me. You're showing me a kindness. You've -shown- me a kindness. What you've done in the past doesn't matter to me. And plus you're a hero for stopping those men." She shrugs her shoulders faintly. "You're just a person, like me. With angry people in our bodies."
*
Cain shakes his head, "I ain't no hero, that's for sure. They wanted what I had an' I told 'em no. I could've run the other direction, they couldn't have stopped me. Instead, I sent a bunch of 'em to hell," he shrugs, "And I don't feel bad about it."
"I'm nice t'you cause yer nice t'me. Simple as that. Give respect, get respect. That's how it is out in the real world. Seems like you already doin' pretty well in that regard to me."
*
Jean grins faintly.. "As my friend who I'm looking for would probably say.." She glances around, as if she were about to tell a grand ol' secret. "Perception is a mutherfucker." Her cheeks burn a bright, then soon deep dark red with those words, her hand immediately lifting to her mouth at she tries to suppress the embarrased laugh that wants to come out. She wasn't used to swearing, and when she did it just worked her right up.
But, after all that was said and done, she pulls one of his plate o' steaks closer towards her and begins to cut it in slices, divying them up nice and neat, then smothers it with the steak sauce that was rumored to be the best in the house. And then pushes the plate towards him.
"Now that I can credit to my real parents. My father is a professor, mom a stay at home woman. They both always told us to be kind, because we never know what the other person is going through. And.. you never know if you need a friend." She gestures towards the plate. "I didn't expect to stay here long, I'm glad I did. Professor Xavier has a really cool brother in my book." She even holds up a hand to stop his protest. "And nothing you can say would make me think otherwise, yanno."
*
Cain snorts and raises a hand, "I ain't gonna try'n talk ya out of it. Hell, I don't mind makin' friends, especially pretty young ones," he says. "I bet Charlie's put his eyes on you more than once. He may not be your sugar daddy but…well…" he says and thinks better of making the crude joke he thought, although she might pick up the image in his head.
He doesn't argue with her pushing her food over, just takes it and eats it down, "I don't technically gotta eat anymore. I just like to," he says.
*
"Good." Jean states, taking a bite of chicken which was soon nearly spat out at his words. He was a crude man, but she should have been used to it, though not to this calaber and degree. She shakes her head quickly. "Oh no. He actually has a girlfriend. At least I believe so. One of his long lost loves. It's pretty sweet, actually."
The mention of him not eating kind of draws a frown. "But.. at least you can eat whatevver you like and not have to worry about getting fat."
*
Cain shrugs, "I never worried about that before either," he says. "Mercenary life keeps ya pretty fit," he says.
"And don't never think a man ain't thinkin' it, girlfriend, wife or sittin' next to his mama. Men want it. Always," he says.
*
Jean groans slightly, her eyes rolling up towards the ceiling. "Oooh come on…" She murmurs quietly. "That is -so- not true. My Sam isn't like that." She points out, jutting a fork towards Cain. "There -are- some men out there who are sweet, kind, honorable, loving, and adorable." Heck, the worst thing she's done was neck with the poor redneck boy on a boat. Everything else hadn't crossed her mind.. save for graduation. And the many mosquito bites she had to take care of. And god, her frizzy hair..
*
Cain considers for a moment, "Then your Sam ain't a man. Lemme guess. Virgin? Kinda sheltered? A good boy. Some guys are men before they turn fifteen. Some of 'em ain't never gonna be nothin' but boys, however old they get," he says. "If you want a boy, I can't say ya nay. Borin', but he'll be loyal. Like a puppy," he teases.
*
"Yes he.." She blanches.. well in reverse. Instead of becoming a pale white, she becomes beet red, her hand lifting to repeatedly smack against his forearm, the other soon joining. A few on-lookers seem a little bit worried for Jean, but Jean herself wasn't. It was like a playful windmill of a smack that she'd give to a brother or a friend who had said something crude.
Like he just did!
"I don't know I don't know!" She truly didn't. She didn't know to ask, nor even think of it. In fact, she wanted the entire conversation to be done with, so as soon as she finished smacking him to high hell (even though it didn't do anything to him), she quickly begins to eat again, avoiding the topic ALL together. "Your girlfriend must be reaaaaaaaal proud!"
*
Cain snorts and shakes his head, "I ain't got one, right at the moment. ain't ever really had a steady one, though that was mostly cause of work. Movin' around all the time, can't settle down. Chicks don't want a fella that's only gonna be in port for two days," he says. "So I just fucked 'em and left, usually," he says. "But I always left 'em smilin'."
*
*PFFHTHTHTHTP*
Dinner was over! Jean was thoroughly embarrassed and unable to swallow like a good little mutie.
The food was pushed aside slightly, Jean attempting to find any other avenues of conversation but there was a lingering fear that it woul turn just crude. "Ah.. I think I should go home now. Can you help me out the door?"
*
Cain laughs, "Sure thing, little bit. Sorry, I ain't used to civilized company these days. I ain't been around an innocent thing like you in a hell of a long time," he says. He moves from his seat, grabbing Roy, "Pack up an extra meal for the kid to take home, don't be stingy neither," he says.
*
Jean couldn't even look at Cain right now! She was just.. eee! Squiggily wiggilies and gee golly willikers! She does finish her glass of water though, quickly taking it down with a few quick gulps, placing it down next to the plate as she wheels her chair backwards.
Roy squeaks quietly as he's snatched up, his hand pushing against Cain's but it doesn't move, so he just waits for the man to let him go before he rushes back into the kitchen.. shouting orders.
"It..its okay.." She says quietly, clearing her throat. "But.. it really was nice to see the other side.. you know?"
*
Cain nods, "Yeah, I bet it was enlightenin'. You take care of yerself, kid. If Charlie ever does you wrong, come on by. Roy'll know how to find me." he says.
*